President’s Message
Winter 2026
by Jordan Oster

Winter has arrived and the new season allows us to reflect on the conclusion of the year while also looking forward. December marks one year since I became the board president for the Friends organization. I have been so grateful for both the long-time supporters and new Friends members who have kept our organization strong in challenging times. It has not always been easy, as we now spent this whole calendar year without the public use of the Visitor Center and went through a record-length federal government shutdown.

Still through all of this, we have worked to grow our membership base and tap new sources of income to provide crucial funding that help keep the Refuge functioning and flourishing. The Friends gained 44 new members and a surge of donations with our year-end mailed appeal in December 2024-January 2026 and we hope to see similar growth from this year’s campaign.

This October, we had a very successful Nature Store “Barn Sale” that brought in over $6,000 in total sales in one day. Thank you to all who attended and sup- ported the Friends with your purchases. We look forward to finding a spring 2026 date for the next pop-up sale and we will explore more fun merchandise to offer. Speaking of, make sure to check out our online sweatshirt fundraiser through January 30th. The Friends board of directors thanks you for your continued support of the organization and the Refuge that we all cherish. Best wishes for the holiday season and New Year. We look forward to seeing what we can do together in 2026!

Milky Way Over the Prairie, Patty Foster