VoltBanquet2006

Volunteer Banquet, 2006

For the past 19 years our year-end activities have been marked with our Volunteer Awards Banquet wherein we recognize our wonderful group of Docents (trained volunteers) without whom we could not achieve nearly as much as we do. This is as varied a group as you might expect. We have students, retirees, folks with regular jobs, or those who are self-employed. All of them are trained in what is arguably the most comprehensive raptor handling course in America, certainly the best in Colorado, and then they provide their talents and time to manage our collection of non-releasable raptors. Of course, not everybody can qualify for this program, but if you think you might have what it takes to work with falcons, owls, hawks and eagles, invest a little time to find out what it takes to become an REF Docent-just click...

	Anne Price, REF's Curator and Director of Docent Training, presents the year's report on REF activities, accomplishments, statistics and related information to the gathering at REF's 19th Annual Docent Banquet. This year the event was held at the Arbor House in Arvada.
	After awards and the annual wrap-up report, Anne presented a slide show of activities, especially relating to our trip with Vadim Gorbatov to the Peregrine Fund's Archives of Falconry in Boise.
	REF Docents examine numerous prints provided by Vadim Gorbatov. Each docent selected a print in recognition of their wonderful support of REF's birds and mission.
	Ladies of Leisure....NOT! Left to right: Sylvia Redling, Lorraine Monoson, Nancy Fortran and Margaret Catale contributed around 1000 hours between the four of them during 2006! For those of you interested in statistics about this kind of thing, this level of volunteering time and talent is on the average, 5.5 times greater than the average 45.8 hours volunteered per household per year for all charities and causes per annum.
	Veterans and Newbies: Some of our most "senior" docents (and doting grandparents) along with a brand-new mom and a brand-new docent! Left to right: Bernie Gardetto (1995 Docent Class Graduate), Toni Smith (1999), Jennifer Redmond (2004), Debbie Jenkins (1988) and Mitch Skinner (2006).
	Kevin Corwin, REF Senior Docent (left) receives several awards from Peter Reshetniak, REF President, as Anne Price looks on approvingly. Kevin has not only been the recipient of REF's Volunteer of the Year award, but he has also been with REF for many years serving in various capacities including mews maintenance, public and school programs, and special seminars. Kevin also works as a volunteer with several other natural history organizations. photo by Sylvia Redling
	Kevin shows off one of Vadim Gorbatov's prints given in recognition of his exemplary support of REF's mission.
	Gene Albright, who spends his work hours in the financial industry, shows off his Volunteer Service Award. Gene not only enjoys his raptor time, but he is also keenly interested in all the wild cats of the world and has volunteered his time at some of the big cat sanctuaries in Colorado.
	In addition to her REF certificate, Senior Docent Jenni McAllister (last year's Volunteer of the Year) receives a special thank-you for her efforts co-managing the mews: an original photograph of REF's male golden eagle, by renowned raptor photographer and falconer Rob Palmer.
	Senior Docent Shelley Doris, recipient of the Distinguished Volunteer Service Award, spent hundreds of hours co-managing the mews with Ms. McAllister, as well as making repairs and upgrades. Shelley also received one of Rob Palmer's stunning photographs of an Aplomado falcon in flight.
	Once again, kudos to Alexys Monoson (right) for her 400 hours contributed during our 26th year and earning her the much coveted Volunteer of the Year status. With Docents like Lorraine (Alexys' mom) and every one of our Docents our mission will continue into our 27th year. We invite you to visit last year's banquet as well. Join us, and let that eagle in you soar to life. The picture we use in our Volunteer of the Year award, by the way, is the first bald eagle we received into our programs (early 80's), and it is the first and probably only picture of a bald eagle created on an 8" x 10" format studio camera. The photographer is David McMahon.

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