Annual Reports
Our Annual Report is published in January to provide our members, donors, and supporters with a high level understanding of our efforts and accomplishments. We started compiling annual reports for our members, donors, and supporters in 2019. Contact us for more information or details.
"My first year as President of the Friends of HSNC has been a wonderful experience! I work with a dedicated group of volunteers and Helen Schuler Nature Centre staff members who help flesh out the Friends Board. They serve as a constant reminder of something that I thought I’d lost when I joined the Business School: It was the sheer joy of being out in Nature! I am once again the boy who waded in creeks, dipped for crayfish and listened intently to birds. I thank you for this opportunity and encourage anyone also interested to come and join me!”
John Usher
President
"I can't believe another year with the Friends of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre has passed already. It has been wonderful to witness the changes occurring in and around the Nature Centre. Almost every day, I observe someone checking out books from the Little Library at the brand new information kiosk. I am eager to see the exciting materials that will be featured in our new Play Pods in front of the building. I always enjoy hearing about everyone's exciting journeys during our Travel Adventures series. This year, I was fortunate to share my own adventures biking around Europe. I can't wait to see what next year brings. Thank you to all of you for your continued support!"
Taylor Hecker
Secretary & HSNC Representative
"I’ve been with the Friends of as the Treasurer for four years now. So many cool things have happened in that time! To name a few: ‘Welcome to Canada’ a program to help new Canadians adjust and learn about their new way of life; ‘Nature Play Pods’ our loose parts playground, and countless activities and programs for everyone no matter the season! We look forward to continuing to connect with nature and our growing city!
Kristen Aspden
Treasurer
"The Friends of HSNC Board is the first board I’ve joined. It remains my favourite board of all. The exemplary people at the Friends of HSNC demonstrate wonderful character and behaviour that is truly inspirational. My reasons for joining stemmed from wanting to give back to my new community. (Sometimes, being unselfish can feel selfishly good.) The Friends of HSNC make it so fun and easy that participation is always something to look forward to and enjoy.”
Vincent Fournier
Director
"Because I hate meetings with a passion, I was very reluctant to join The Friends of the HSNC Board. When I finally did, I was pleasantly surprised. Meetings are short but get lots accomplished. This coming year, I am looking forward to helping out with the Extreme By Nature summer program for 6-10 year old children, seeing what the new Play Pods contain, and making my annual donation through Shaw Birdies for Kids.”
Deb Kellett
Director
"One of the annual programs that I always look forward to is the “Inspired by Nature: Youth Art Exhibition” that we co-sponsored again this year with the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East. It is always exciting for me to see our natural world interpreted through the eyes of our young and very talented artists. Year in and year out, their creativity never ceases to amaze."
Rick Andrews
President
"Memberships are a great way to sustain our Society. With an active membership you receive our newsletters as well as voting privileges at our Annual General Meeting. Thank you to all current Friends!"
Kristen Aspden
Treasurer
"As we move into the tenth year of our Society it is amazing to look back and see all that we have accomplished, and the past year is no exception. Our Travel Adventures series returned with an exciting slate of speakers and a successful implementation of a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and virtual participation. We broke ground on the outdoor information kiosk, which will provide a convenient and accessible source of information for river valley users even when the Nature Centre is closed. Perhaps most impactful to me was the Welcome to Canada program for new Canadians. Seeing first-hand the joy felt by the families as they experienced their first Canadian winter made me proud to be part of a community that supports and values our natural spaces. I look forward to seeing what we accomplish in the next ten years."
Taylor Hecker
Secretary & HSNC Representative
"The Friends of Society is important for so many reasons. From raising money for capital improvements, like the Co-op Community Outdoor Classroom, to hosting events like Travel Adventures. Our Society supports a variety of programs that help educate people about the environment. We serve a broad audience - from ages 2 to senior - including new Canadians. With a Friends membership you can help support all these programs and so much more."
Deb Kellett
Director
"The Helen Schuler Nature Centre is a pillar in the Southern Alberta community. Whether you are engaging within the space as a new resident, or you’ve grown up within the space, there is something for everyone, and for all ages! I was able to engage with the Centre throughout my time as a student at the University of Lethbridge, and have been lucky to share this with my friends and family. If you are interested in getting involved, I hope you purchase a membership to help us support conservation efforts in Lethbridge. I encourage you to consider getting involved with the Friends Board of Directors! This is truly a great place to volunteer and we’d love to have you!"
Kairvee Bhatt
Director
"I believe that the most significant program devised and enacted by our Society is the outreach to support new immigrants to Canada. This program was first offered in November 2022 but is designed to be ongoing. Such efforts make me very proud to be associated with the Friends of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre Society."
John M. Usher
Director
“At the beginning of the year, we hoped that most of the pandemic challenges we experienced in 2020 would finally be behind us. Instead a government mandated closure of the Nature Centre created further challenges that would last a full six months. The impact of this was substantial and left us with no choice but to deliver many of our events (including our AGM) and programmes virtually.
Fortunately the great outdoors was still open and many of our River Valley Conservation Projects could therefore still be held. Coulee Cleanup, Shoreline Cleanup along with Invasive Weed Pulls saw over 600 volunteers removing over 500 bags of garbage from our city’s natural spaces.
With many of our regular fundraising initiatives on hold, we were asked to participate in the Lowe's Canada Heroes Programme. While you can read more about this later in this report, this initiative not only helped raise our community profile, but also raised over $4,000 for the Friends of HSNC Society.
To ensure that our fundraising activities achieve their maximum potential, the Friends of then established a permanent Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta. This fund will ensure that we can continue to financially support locally based nature programming for many years to come.
As with previous years, these successes are due to the generous support of our members, volunteers and donors, all of whom deserve our heartfelt thank you!”
- Rick Andrews, President of Friends of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre Society
“2020 was a year like no other we have ever experienced. Yet despite all of its challenges, as you will see in this annual report, we were still able to achieve some very significant goals.
From the Society's point of view, two important achievements I find noteworthy are an increase in membership along with a successful Fall fundraising campaign. Both of these successes may be interpreted as signs that our Society is on the right track, that people find value in our work and are willing to help support local nature-based programming in a number of different ways.
Our success therefore, is directly attributable to the generous ongoing support of our donors, members and volunteers, all of whom came together at a time when it was needed most, and all of whom deserve a huge and heartfelt "THANK YOU!"
- Rick Andrews, President of Friends of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre Society
“It has been a year to remember as we strive forward in our goal to promote Nature in the wonderful community of Lethbridge. Looking back on the 2019 year, a special thanks goes out to Ken Moore for delivering many Snake safety talks around Southern Alberta, and to all of our society and community members for supporting these programs. As we look forward to expanding our program facilities with the ground breaking in on our new improved teaching outdoor amphitheatre, we are thrilled to be supporting more Nature Centre programming for the 2020 year! Look out for our many travel adventure talks, snake safety talks, and other community events to come! Once again, a special thanks to everyone who takes part in supporting our society, it is that reason alone that makes it possible for the Friends of Helen Schuler Nature Centre Society to foster the love of nature in our community.”
- Samantha Tinworth, President of Friends of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre Society