By Jess Garby, Education Coordinator
I’m so excited to be back with the Flathead Audubon Society after a two-month summer break!
Many of my days were spent exploring the trails of the Swan Range, taking long bike rides, and
crafting with friends. One of the highlights of my summer included my first trip out of the
country!
FAS graciously sent me to the National Audubon Leadership Conference in Montréal, Québec,
Canada. More than 450 conservation leaders from 11 countries, 48 states, and 22 colleges and
universities gathered to celebrate Audubon’s 120th anniversary, and to look ahead to the
future we are building together to reverse declines in bird populations. It was a memorable four
days of learning, networking, and birding. The theme of Community was woven throughout the
event, and connecting with leaders from national, state, and local Audubon chapters sparked
inspiring conversations and fresh ideas. One of my key takeaways is the importance of
community, and I’m eager to weave that into my upcoming programming. As an added bonus, I
also spotted a few “lifers,” including a stunning and very vocal Indigo Bunting at Montréal’s
iconic Mount Royal Park.
Back home, I spent much of the summer volunteering with The Making Place (TMP), leading
kids’ craft activities at local markets and at the Boys and Girls Club. In my role as Volunteer and
Outreach Board Member for TMP, I’ve been learning new strategies for engaging and recruiting
volunteers. I look forward to applying those tools at FAS.
If you haven’t heard, FAS has a new home! We’ve moved, from our upstairs office at the
Gateway Mall in Kalispell to a new space downstairs, right across from the Community Room
where we host our general meetings. Our office is now more welcoming and accessible to the
public, and has a much homier feel than our old space. Many thanks to Rod and Darcy for
championing this change!
It’s great to be back. I’m looking forward to an exciting season ahead with the FAS community.
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