What a year this has been. Everything here seemed fine until March, and just after our March meeting everything fell apart. We closed the Center, cancelled field trips and programs, and hunkered down as the Corvid-19 Pandemic soared across the country.
The Northeast and especially here in Massachusetts we have fared pretty well overall. The pandemic has been taken seriously by most of us and that has helped to minimize the rate of spread. Yet, we are far from being out of the woods. ABNC will continue best practices for containing the virus while still encouraging our enjoyment of all things in nature.
Many groups are cutting back on dues and appreciate anyone who feels that with these hard financial times they are unable to pay their usual amount. We will still be maintaining the Center and the collection while providing limited field trips and some interesting online experiences for our members and friends. No one is ever denied participation in our events because of a lack of financial. If you need special consideration whether to enjoy a video/webinar or just need to communicate in these isolating times please reach out.
The Center will be closed to large groups likely until Governor Baker announces a phase 4 opening of the state which may not happen until a Covid-19 vaccine is readily available. We ae communication with the Town’s Health agent and a written plan for reopening is being drafted.
In the meantime ABNC was awarded a Community Outreach Grant for the New England Grassroots Foundation which has allowed us access to a Zoom Webinar Account, an upgrade to our website (in process), and help from AOTV to produce a series of outdoor educational videos for children. Exciting projects keeping many of us busy. If interested in helping on any of these projects please contact Dave@atholbirdclub.org and we’ll have a conversation.
Thanks to al for your continued support.
Dave Small