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August 23, 2006
Dear Friend,
I am writing to share some exciting
news. After more than eight years as Executive Director of Gathering
Waters Conservancy, I have decided to step down from my position to
devote my energies entirely to rebuilding broad, bipartisan support
for the Warren Knowles-Gaylord
Nelson Stewardship Fund.
Effective August
21, I will be Gathering Waters Conservancy’s new Stewardship
Campaign Director and will spearhead the land trust community’s
efforts to ensure this critically important program continues well
beyond its current expiration date of June 2010.
As you can imagine,
this was a tough decision for me. I have loved my job as Executive
Director and continue to find the work both challenging and rewarding.
However, I have come to realize the time is right for a new leader
to step in and guide the organization through its second decade.
With
that said, I have great expectations for Gathering Waters’ future,
and am confident that under new leadership, the organization will build
on its past successes while evolving in new and innovative ways.
I initially
came to Gathering Waters because it affirmed one of my fundamental beliefs:
that people, acting collectively, can shape the future of their communities.
And this has been the core mission at Gathering Waters
Conservancy. Over the past decade, we have grown into an organization
that both leads and is led by the land trust community. As a result,
we have helped fuel a vibrant grassroots movement – over 50,000 people strong and
growing more powerful each year.
While the impetus, energy and inspiration
for starting a land trust is local, Gathering Waters has provided land
trusts with the tools, information, and resources to make them truly
effective and sustainable. At last count, Wisconsin’s 50 land
trusts have protected more than 200,000 acres – an impressive
accomplishment by any standard.
At Gathering Waters we work as a team,
and our success would not be possible without the support of our land
trusts, the generosity of our members, the encouragement of our board
and the contributions of each staff person. I take credit for just
one thing: hiring an amazingly talented, energetic and visionary staff
whose dedication never ceases to amaze me.
I am also proud of the board
we’ve put together. A strong board is the envy
of all non-profits, and Gathering Waters has one of the best. I am very
fortunate to have worked with such a distinguished and committed group
of leaders and am thankful for their willingness to serve as mentors
to me.
So what is my next challenge? I am thrilled about this
new role as the Director of Gathering Waters’ Stewardship Campaign and
cannot imagine a more important cause to champion.
Wisconsin’s
Stewardship Fund has helped protect more than 400,000 acres of natural
areas, wildlife habitat, forests and urban parks since 1989. Chances
are your favorite place to “get away from it all” was protected
with Stewardship dollars.
In addition to funding state land purchases,
Stewardship has provided more than $50 million in matching grants to
land trusts.
If you’ve
been following our work at Gathering Waters, you know that maintaining
full funding for Stewardship has been a top priority. You may also know
that, despite its bipartisan history, the Stewardship Fund is under unprecedented
attack, with some calling on the Governor to slash the program and sell
off land that’s already been protected.
The Governor has vetoed
these proposals, but a major battle lies ahead. The current Stewardship
program expires in 2010 and we’ll need the support of both the
Legislature and Governor to see the program renewed for another 10 years.
I was especially disappointed to learn the platform
adopted by the Republic Party at its recent convention calls for the
total elimination of the Stewardship Fund. I have been assured by people
whose insights I trust, that this represents a minority view within the
party.
Nevertheless, it adds urgency to our cause. We are
launching our Stewardship Campaign at a critical time. This will be a
multi-pronged effort. We will be calling on old friends and reaching
out to new allies, on both sides of the aisle and from all sectors, to
create a powerful pro-Stewardship coalition. We will also develop a shared
vision for a new and improved Stewardship Fund which meets the state’s
long-term conservation needs while addressing legitimate concerns about
the program.
This is a fight we can win. The overwhelming majority
of Wisconsinites share my love for this state and a commitment to seeing
the natural treasures that make Wisconsin so special protected for our
children and grandchildren. I hear this again and again, from Republicans
and Democrats, young and old, city folks and rural dwellers, top executives
and students. The message is loud and clear but the challenge is to make
our voices heard.
This is a challenge I relish – perhaps, because
at its core, it speaks to my belief in the power of people working together
to shape our future for the better.
I hope I can count on you to be part
of this effort. As Stewardship Campaign Director, I will be reaching
out across the state to enlist your support.
I have setup a new office and will now be reachable
at stewardship [at] gatheringwaters.org or
by phone at
608-441-8819 or on my cell at 608-334-1473. Please contact me if you
have questions or would like to learn more about our campaign.
For all other matters, please
contact Althea Dotzour at 608-251-9131 x13 or althea [at] gatheringwaters.org.
Althea will serve as Gathering Waters Conservancy’s Interim Director starting August 14. I have full confidence
in Althea and am excited to see her step into this position. She is being
supported by Gathering Waters’ wonderful staff, each of whom has
readily taken on additional responsibilities while the board searches
for a new Executive Director.
Thanks again for your support over the
years. I look forward to continuing to work with you in my new position.
Best wishes,
Vicki Elkin
Stewardship Campaign Director
P.S. I
hope to see you at our upcoming Land
Conservation Leadership Awards Celebration on September 28 at Monona Terrace in Madison!
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