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.
2024
"My second year as President of the Friends of HSNC has been an interesting experience! One of the major events of the year was the departure, for another City of Lethbridge posting, of the primary liaison of the Friends with the operational staff of the Nature Centre, Curtis Goodman. Thankfully, that gap was soon filled by Chelsea Sherbut, a veteran of two organizations (the Unversity of Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Centre) both of which I have also enjoyed prior and current associations.
Curtis has rejoined the Board of the Friends as a volunteer and taken up the vital post of Treasurer so that his long experience is still available to us. So, with the continuing presence of Chelsea, Taylor Hecker and Coreen Putman as staff appointments and continuing volunteer Board members Curtis,Vincent Fournier, Deb Kellett, Kristen Aspden and new volunteer Cory Burns-Dennis, you could say that the Friends are looking out at 2025 as 'All aboard and steady as she goes!’ I thank you for the opportunity to continue to serve as the President of the Board of the Friends of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre.”
John Usher - President
Read our 2024 Annual Report.
"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
"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
“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.
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