2020 Annual Report

2020 Annual Report to the Community

Links:

GMCG Balance Sheet 12/31/20
GMCG FY 2020 P&L and FY21 Budget

Message from the Chair:

“I have been chosen by the Board of Directors to serve as the Chair. How fortunate I am to be following former chair Larry Wogman (who has recently moved to CT) and to be working so closely with Matt Howe (our no longer new Executive Director)! The board is made up of a handful of your neighbors and friends who live in the towns of the Ossipee Watershed — and these folks are both committed and passionate. Among the changes we are in the midst of making is one related to the financial support we receive.

“For many years GMCG has been using an older model that is rooted in ‘membership,’ and we are moving in the direction of a model that emphasizes ‘donors.’ The GMCG community won’t see any difference in the way we do the important conservation work we’ve been doing for more than two decades. Where we will see a difference is in how we engage donors, grow the donor base, and encourage a whole new variety of ways for folks to give. Here’s how you can help during 2021: Help us grow our donor base by inviting a friend, family member, neighbor, or like-minded conservationist to make a gift to GMCG in any amount. It doesn’t matter how much a person gives; it matters that a person gives. Our goal for 2021 is to have 501 donors. We can do it! Thanks for your support and your attention.”  –  Knute Ogren, GMCG Board Chair

Message from the Executive Director:

“Our favorite signs of spring are bursting forth, another Earth Day is coming soon, and vaccination rates are climbing fast. We are feeling hopeful here at the Blue Heron House! As you can tell from another information-packed edition of the Watershed News and our calendar of events, our staff and board are moving into 2021 in high gear. I am especially looking forward to the afternoon of Thursday, August 12, when we plan on seeing many of you here for an outdoor reunion of friends and a joyful celebration of the watershed.

“Amidst this optimism I resist returning to the topic of the pandemic, but to report on the year 2020 is to report on a year defined by COVID-19. Foremost on our minds are all the families and people who suffered and lost their lives. We remember all those lost and give thanks that our immediate GMCG family remained healthy throughout.

“Yet just like all of you, the people of GMCG endured hardships. The long shutdown. Schools closed. Daycare and summer camps closed. Constant concern for the health of our children and ourselves. It was a long and stressful ordeal for everyone. I want to express my deep appreciation and respect for our Program Coordinators and AmeriCorps over the last year. They were creative, dedicated and strong. My gratitude as well to the GMCG Board of Directors for the countless ways they supported their staff and looked out for us.

“As we anticipate life beyond COVID, it’s good to take stock of what we have learned. We have learned many things small and large. Among the simpler things, we have learned that we’ve been driving our cars way too far and too often.  It will be good to have some real meetings again, but thanks to our collective new technical savvy, we can burn less fossil fuel, save time, save money and probably be more productive at the end of the day. We also learned we can adapt and harness technology to connect with students in schools and people in their homes in ways that should not forever replace in-person learning but can enrich education through new options and 24/7 access to online content.

“Perhaps the largest lesson for GMCG, however, is the reminder of what it means when we say we are part of a watershed community. Over the last year we have been reminded again and again how connected we are to the people, towns, schools, community service agencies, and businesses of the Ossipee Watershed. We truly are all in this together. When hard times hit and we all close down, the ripple effects reverberate. We must stay connected and support each other. Most of all we must be mindful that inequalities among us – differences in access to things such as land, wealth, and health care – mean that not everyone is equally protected from the perils of pandemics, natural disasters, and economic downturns. As an environmental organization we must strive for a human environment that ensures justice and opportunity for all of our neighbors.

“At the top of this page are links to our FY20 Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss Statement and FY21 Budget. As reported in the Winter 2021 issue, we ended 2020 on a strong note and I am pleased to report the financial condition of GMCG remains good. Your continuing support in the year ahead will be put to work and used wisely as we continue to grow and evolve as a leadership organization for natural resource protection and community progress across the Ossipee Watershed.” – Matt Howe, Executive Director