It is such an honor to be elected as the next president of the Friends for the Abbott Marshlands. I first would like to extend a huge thank you to our past president, Pat Coleman. During her tenure as president Pat did an AMAZING job leading the Friends: helping us achieve 501c3 non-profit status, overseeing the creation of a 3-year strategic plan, and helping grow this organization in such a variety of ways. Pat has set a wonderful foundation for me to build from.
When I moved to Hamilton 9(!) years ago from the West Coast, I was incredibly fortunate to find the Abbott Marshlands within a few months. I was not only excited to find such a natural treasure trove so close by, but also immediately struck by the sense of community every time I attended a Friends event or stopped by the Tulpehaking Nature Center. It is this friendly, welcoming network of people that has drawn me back time and time again, and that makes the Abbott Marshlands such an important place to me.
During my years of involvement with the Friends, I have gotten to know many amazing individuals and am always struck by the energy and dedication of all the volunteers I meet. Over the past few years not only has our membership grown, but we have expanded our program offerings in numbers and variety. I have loved so many of our events, such as Abbott Day, our Fall for Trivia fundraiser, and many of our art shows. Our weekly Wednesday Walks are a huge hit, and the Nature Book Club I run has been a monthly highlight for many of us. As I take on this new role of president I am incredibly excited to see where this next year takes us. I look forward to working with many of you to continue growing this wonderful community in 2025 and beyond.
Sincerely,
Jackie Stone
