ABNC Officers
& Directors
Photo by Nancy Lagimoniere
ABNC Officers
Dave Small
President - Acting Executive Director
For over twenty-eight years, Dave has been the charismatic leader of the Club. His skills as a naturalist, trip leader, and presenter are in demand throughout New England. Through Dave’s efforts, the Center is recognized as the place to hold meetings that relate to natural history and the environment.
Ernie LeBlanc
Vice President
Ernie is a lifelong birder and naturalist; leader of club bird trips, and assist in maintaining and developing the Center’s inside and outside resources, including the native habitat gardens.
Jillian Whitney
Treasurer
Jeff Blanchard
Secretary
Paul Goyetche
Millers River Environmental Center Coordinator
Paul volunteers as the building coordinator for the Millers River Environmental Center. He is a garden enthusiast and an artist.
Max MacPhee
Geology Division Coordinator
Max has been a member of ABNC since 2000 and is a founding member of Geology Division. He leads cleaning and reorganization of ‘the Quarry’. He frequently attends ABNC dragonfly identification field trips.
Chris Coyle
Geology Division Clerk
Chris was exposed to geology at an early age and is especially interested in the mineral Beryl as well as fossils.
ABNC Directors
Bonnie Benjamin
Bonnie is a retired teacher and coordinator of our E-learning group. She also organizes visits to MREC with all of the Athol first graders annually.
Heidi Strickland
Heidi is a passionate gardener and lover of nature who believes we can all make a difference. She spearheaded initiatives to reduce single-use plastics in our community and organized Green Clean Athol to clean up litter. She volunteers weekly at the Center.
Joanie MacPhee
Joanie MacPhee is an avid geologist and naturalist.
Bob Mallet
Bob is an avid birder and naturalist frequently recording the happenings in the Cass Meadow Conservation Area.
Ann Spring
Ann is the Club’s librarian. She is an avid birder and naturalist, and volunteers for many of the club’s outreach activities.
Paul Goyetche
Paul volunteers as the building coordinator for the Millers River Environmental Center. He is a garden enthusiast and an artist.
Max MacPhee
Max has been a member of ABNC since 2000 and is a founding member of Geology Division. He leads cleaning and reorganization of ‘the Quarry’. He frequently attends ABNC dragonfly identification field trips.
Jon Skinner
Jon, an avid birder, is a walk leader and webmaster for the club website.
Emeritus Directors
Susan Heinricher
Joan and Larry Duprey
Christine Becket Long
Emily Carr
Susan Cloutier
Cindy and Chuck Hartwell
Susan Bredesen
Clare Green
Kathy Richards
John O’Keefe
Geology Division
The Geology Division of the Athol Bird and Nature Club was formed in the summer of 2016. Geo Division members are interested in all facets of geology, especially that of the North Quabbin area. Our group sponsors monthly activities – presentations, discussions of geology in the news and the ongoing organization of the ABNC rock and mineral collection in the basement of the Millers River Environmental Center nicknamed “The Quarry.”
Future projects include opening the ABNC geology learning center with interactive displays for the public. A new updated edition of Minerals – Reality or Legend (Encompassing the Athol Region) by Paul Kenneth Kachinsky will be published after editing and addition of new material is completed.
Max MacPhee
Geology Division Leader
Max has been a member of ABNC since 2000 and is a founding member of Geology Division. He leads cleaning and reorganization of ‘the Quarry’. He frequently attends ABNC dragonfly identification field trips.
Chris Coyle
Geology Division Clerk
Chris was exposed to geology at an early age and is especially interested in the mineral Beryl as well as fossils.
Birding Division
Dave Small
Birding Division
For over twenty-eight years, Dave has been the charismatic leader of the Club. His skills as a naturalist, trip leader, and presenter are in demand throughout New England. Through Dave’s efforts, the Center is recognized as the place to hold meetings that relate to natural history and the environment.
Ernie Leblanc
Birding Division
Ernie is a lifelong birder and naturalist; leader of club bird trips, and assist in maintaining and developing the Center’s inside and outside resources, including the native habitat gardens.
Jeff Johnstone
Trip Leader
Jeff is frequent leader of bird trips in the Quabbin area. He leads weekly walks during both spring and fall migration.
Mark Taylor
Trip Leader
eLearning Committee
Bonnie Benjamin
Bonnie is a retired teacher and coordinator of our E-learning group. She also organizes visits to MREC with all of the Athol first graders annually.
Clare Green
Clare is a retired educator, nature camp director, and local author from Warwick. She volunteers with the e-learning committee and is active at Alan E. Rich Environmental Park.
Heidi Strickland
Heidi is a gardener and enthusiastic lover of nature. She volunteers weekly at the Center.
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We appreciate the cooperation of our neighbors: Mount Grace Land Trust, Northfield Bird Club, Northfield Mountain Recreation Center, Ware River Nature Club, Hampshire Bird Club for sharing their events with our members
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