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December 2008 Newsletter

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The 'Land Yacht' Finally Sets Sail

by Allan Berkowitz, Executive Director

It has been a long four years of planning, but here we are: construction has begun on the EcoCenter, our new home overlooking the bay marshes. Construction officially began October 13, but the 'heavy lifting' really began on Friday, November 14, as they began to move the building.


On a beautifully sunny fall day, dozens of observers gathered to watch the house movers nudge this 65 ton 'land yacht' off its foundation. Steel beams extended in all directions; pneumatic jacks hummed; a steel cable pulled; and this 'gently used' building moaned as it was pulled to the lot next door.


Why move it at all? Because the old foundation needs to be removed and a new one built. That work is unfolding now, and once completed (we estimate in January), the building will be moved back onto the new foundation. Stay tuned! In the meantime, check out the accompanying photos to see the building in various stages of being moved.

Photos by Maryanne Welton, Project Manager
 

Original location of the building (left)

in relation to its new, temporary location (right)
Photo by Andrei Sarna-Wojcicki, Palo Alto

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"Season's Greenings" Holiday Honor Program

by Bruce Beery, Director of Development

Are you having a difficult time deciding upon a gift or gesture to offer to a special friend, or friends, during this holiday time? Consider honoring them with a tax deductible gift to the Environmental Volunteers. On your behalf, we will send those special people a unique Holiday Honor Card with a “Season’s Greenings” message.

What makes the Honor Card special? First, while the amount of your gift is confidential, it tells the recipient you were thinking of them and desired to offer a memorable greeting. Second, they can plant the card and grow wildflowers, hence the “Greening” in the seasonal message!

It is very easy to make a Season’s Greenings Holiday Honor gift: go to our website and follow the directions at the Season’s Greenings link (and further benefit from suggestions about how you can help “green” your holidays) to make your gift and tell us who you want to honor. You may also give us a call at (650) 961-0545 for more information.

The last date for providing us with the honor information is December 18th. This program may be perfect for the business professional with a small number of clients or customers. Pass it along!

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Welcome New Volunteers to the EV Family

by Brittany Sabol, Education & Training Director

We have completed the fall training series and have a group of nine new volunteers for our pool of teaching EVs. All of the new volunteers will be starting to help with services in the classroom very soon. Elizabeth Kricfalusi, Nancy Martin, and Anthony Tsai completed the Explorations in Ecology training in October. Brian Aronstam, Doug Cox, Lisa Hjelm, Leni Silberman, Joyce Snyder, and Diana Weir completed the Living in California training in November.

Thank you to each of you for your contribution to the EV, bringing engaging hands-on programs to our students. Welcome to the EV family!

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School Services Update

by Anita Rodriguez, Program Services Coordinator

Can you believe we are almost done with half of our 2008-2009 school services?! We have scheduled and nearly filled all of the services throughout December. And believe it or not, almost all of the services in January and February are already scheduled. In no time, this school year is going to be gone. By December 17th (the day of our Holiday Party), we will have a long list of services to fill and a long list of EVs, interns, and new EV graduates ready to fill services. Thanks again for your efforts day after day, and hope to see you all at the Holiday Party!

Here are the statistics for November and December services:
SERVICE STATS

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER
 
Peninsula
South Bay
Total
Peninsula
South Bay
Total
Services    

Classrooms
12
19
31
15
12
27

Field Trips

14
6
20
3
3
6

Total Services

26
25
51
18
15
33
Students
 

Classrooms
270
470
740
342
240
582

Field Trips

316
144
460
73
60
133

Total Students

586
614
1200
415
300
715
Volunteers
 

Lead EVs

21
23
44
18
15
33

EVs/Classroom
28
37
65
47
24
71

EVs/Field Trips

33
11
44
16
6
22
Total Volunteers
82
71
153
81
45
126

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Who's News: Bruce Beery

by Jan Whitmer

Our new Director of Development, Bruce Beery, comes to the EV with a wealth of experience in his field. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Bruce graduated from The Ohio State University with a marketing degree and later earned an MBA from Michigan State University. Bruce began working for the nonprofit Junior Achievement while still in the Midwest, eventually leaving his position there as Vice President of Development and Marketing in 1995. One of the most interesting phases of Bruce’s work with JA was helping to set up a prototype organization in Moscow, Russia in the early 1990s. During this time, he was able to travel extensively in the Crimea, Georgia, and Ukraine. But the most important outcome of his Russian stay was meeting his future wife Svetlana and her son Andrey!

Bruce moved to California 25 years ago, while still with Junior Achievement. In 1995, he went to work for the American Cancer Society, where he was instrumental in establishing the Major Giving and the Planned Giving programs. His most recent achievement there was managing the Society’s California direct marketing programs, figuring out how to help identify potential major donors.

Upon leaving this organization in late September, Bruce began looking for a position where he would be “closer to the end product.” He wanted more interaction with those impacted by his nonprofit. And, fortunately for us, he found the EV!

In talking to Bruce, it sounds like he plays as hard as he works, for every day of the weekend this fall, he has been running up and down a soccer field refereeing several games each day. He became interested in soccer six years ago, when his son Michael (now 13) began playing. A lifelong athlete, Bruce says the rigor of refereeing upper division games keeps him in shape as well as affords him the opportunity to work with kids. In the spring, he referees only one day on the weekends, and these games are competitive rather than recreational. In addition to physical activity, Bruce truly enjoys reading.

We are fortunate, indeed, to have Bruce as part of the EV family. Please drop by the office to welcome him in person.

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Upcoming Training Modules

Our next round of docent training classes will begin shortly after the holidays. The first module, Living in California, will begin on January 14 and run every Wednesday from 9:00-1:30 through February 18 at the South Bay office. Subsequently, the Explorations in Ecology module will run from the Peninsula Office on Thursdays beginning March 5 and ending April 16. In addition, we will be having a new Field Trip Training (to all six field trip sites) on Fridays from February 13 to March 20.

These training modules are open to new volunteers as well as current EVs. Prospective volunteers who would like to sign up for a training should contact Nicole for more information. Current EVs who want to add a subject to their repertoire or brush up on one they already know should RSVP to Brittany. Any EV with current dues and paperwork is invited to join us for any session.

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