Just A Chirp

Grosse Pointe Audubon

Fall 2015

Articles of Incorporation
From The President:
Thank you for your faith in Grosse Pointe
Audubons leadership and your overwhelming vote
last spring to approve our new bylaws. Weve been
busy over the summer preparing for this falls meetings and for the future.
I filed the articles of incorporation with the
State of Michigan in early August, which was the first
step in our effort to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Unfortunately, that effort was, uh, set back by a stupid
error on my part and a sharp-eyed document inspector. Even though my personal ZIP code was on the
document in one place, I failed to put it on the document in another. So back it came in late August to be
redone. The document has been sent back to Lansing
and we expect to hear soon that we have been incorporated.
The next step in becoming a non-profit is
filing with the Internal Revenue Service. The process
hit a speed bump when I learned that the IRS charges
a $400 filing fee! We have spent a lot of time debating among ourselves whether we should file immediately to ensure that your dues and donations will be
tax deductible in the calendar year 2015 or whether
we should have the membership approve the
expenditure.

That debate among your officers changed

when an angel offered to donate the full $400. So,
heres what we decided: We would go ahead and
spend $400 out of Grosse Pointe Audubons bank account to ensure that the future donations, including
the filing fee angel's, would be deductible. This is
why, in your wisdom, you elected Mark OKeefe your
treasurer last spring!
We are waiting for a response from the Internal Revenue Service, and hope that we will soon be
able to offer receipts for your memberships and any
additional donations.
Thank you for your patience and your trust.
Your 2015-16 Officers
In case you did not attend our April meeting,
the membership approved the following officers for
Grosse Pointe Audubon: Bill Rapai, president; Trina
Bresser-Matous, vice president; Mark OKeefe, treasurer; Anna Wuerfel, secretary. With the exception of
one scoundrel, these are good people.
A New Board
At our September meeting, we will vote on a
new board of directors. By state law, any corporation
must have at least three directors. Well have only
More on Page 2

Fall Schedule
Cut out this schedule and put it on your refrigerator to help you remember these important dates.

Sept. 21 Meeting Rounding Up: Recent discoveries of new species in Indonesia and China, Dr.
Pamela Rasmussen, Michigan State University.
Oct. 19 Meeting Bringing Conservation to Cities: Lessons from Building the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, But John Hartig, director of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.
Nov. 16 Meeting Discovering the birds of Newfoundland, Grosse Pointe Audubons own Mike and
Judy Florian.

three, but in this case its a matter of quality, not quantity. Thats because Annie Crary, Michael Florian and
Joanna Pease have agreed to serve on the board.
Theres room for more, of course, and if you wish to
serve, please let an officer of Grosse Pointe Audubon
know ASAP.
Once we get approval for the board from the
membership, we can then begin to move forward and
plan ways that we as an organization can make a
difference.
Fall Schedule
After a fair bit of juggling, our fall schedule is
set. Im excited to welcome back three previous
speakers, Dr. Pamela Rasmussen, John Hartig and
Michael and Judy Florian. If you recall, Dr. Rasmussen joined us a few years ago to talk about the discovery of five new bird species. Shes back to talk
about how her and her
team have now discovered
5 more species of birds.
John Hartig, the director
of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge,
is back to talk about the
importance of bringing
conservation to cities. Finally, our last meeting of
the year will feature
Grosse Pointe Audubons
own Mike and Judy FloSichuan bush warbler
rians trip to Newfoundland. Look for me sitting
in the back of the room watching with awe and steaming with jealousy at the same time.

from Building the Detroit River International Wildlife

Refuge. Most conservationists want to work in
pristine areas, and most urban areas are considered too
degraded to rank high on conservation priority lists.
But John Hartig has learned what it takes to foster a
conservation ethic in urban areas and to inspire and
develop new urban conservationists.
And during our November meeting, Mike and
Judy Florian will take you on a photographic journey
of their trip to Newfoundland, July 2-8, 2014. The trip
included the Avalon Peninsula plus Terra Nova
National Park, the easternmost portions of the
province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
50th Anniversary
Guess what? Grosse Pointe Audubon will celebrate its 50 years of existence next year, 2016! How
should we honor this special occasion? Dinner? Community service? Email the secretary if youd like to be
on the planning committee, or just have a suggestion.
Bird walks at the Ford House
Join Rosann Kovalcik for bird walks at the
Edsel and Eleanor Ford House on Sept. 26, Oct. 24,
and Nov. 21. There is a fee to participate, and reservations are necessary. Call (313) 884-4222 to reserve
your spot.
Pay your dues
You will find a dues notice on Page 3 of this newsletter.
Please react accordingly and send MONEY! MONEY!
MONEY!

G.P Challenge Results

Each year in Spring, teams of birders from the

Grosse Pointes engage in a friendly competition,
birding from 5:30 a.m. until just before noon, the
check-in time for the tally. The team who has the most
So, at our September meeting, find out more
about the biodiversity documentation process. Only a species of birds after time runs out is the winner for
few new species of birds are named for science world- that year.
wide each year, mostly from South America. But
This year, event was held on May 12. The
Michigan State University Integrative Biologist
Grosse Pointe Woods team won with 76 species of
Pamela Rasmussen has been part of a team that has
birds, and had the bonus bird for the day, a Screech
described 10 new Asian species and rediscovered
Owl. The Grosse Pointe Farms team found 56 species
three others in recent years.
and the Grosse Pointe Park team found 48 species of
At our October meeting, we will discover how birds. This year the City needed to abstain due to an
people are Bringing Conservation to Cities: Lessons injured participant.

PAGE 2

PAGE 3

Just A Chirp

FALL 2015

About Grosse Pointe Audubon

Bill Rapai, president, (313)-885-6502 or BRapai@aol.com
Trina Bressler Matous, vice president, tbressler@aol.com
Mark OKeefe, treasurer, (313) 8847472 or imokruok2@aol.com
Anna Wuerfel, secretary, wuerf2@netzero.net
Joanna Pease, representative to Seven Ponds Nature Center, strixvaria@sbcglobal.net

Go to www.gpaudubon.blogspot.com for an online copy of Just A Chirp, membership

form, rules for the G.P. Birding Challenge in the spring, and more.
Keep up with other Grosse Pointe birders (and Like us) on Facebook!
Grosse Pointe Audubon meets in the Annex of the Pointe Unitarian Church at 17150 Maumee,
between St. Clair and Neff in Grosse Pointe. Social hour starts at 7 p.m. and the meeting starts
at 7:30. Our meetings are free and open to all, so bring a friend!

Grosse Pointe Audubon

443 St. Clair
Grosse Pointe, MI 48230