Hello everyone!
There are several things we’d like you to know about including some changes to how FOMP manages our email list and a website re-design:
1. Tomorrow (or perhaps today by the time I finish this and it gets out the door) 5/20/2008 Friends of Monument Preserve is scheduled to re-attempt to hold our first Trail Day for 2008. We will meet at 6:00pm in the main trail head parking lot located on the corner of Mt. Herman Rd. and Nursery Rd. weather permitting – which is pretty much rain or shine from now on unless there is lightning activity in the area. We will have 2 activities lined up:
— Trail Work
— Tree Trimming – we need several volunteers to help Dianne Strohm trim back some scrub oak from some evergreens that are struggling to grow. If we have a small crowd this will be our first priority tomorrow.
Meet at the parking lot at 6:00pm and depart from there. FOMP / USFS will supply all tools and supplies that you need. Please dress appropriately, bring gloves, water, and eye protection (sunglasses or similar). If you are going to trim scrub oak we recommend long sleeves regardless of the weather. If you are running late you can cal Jon Nordby on his cell phone 719.640.1347 and he will tell you where the groups(s) are located.
2. Our web site received a minor face lift this week. The location is the same and most of the materials are still there. If there is something you feel we should add please let us know by sending an email to info@fomp.org
3. Email list management. We’ve installed some software to help us manage our email list more efficiently. It’s nothing super fancy but it will allow you to update your preferences or unsubscribe from our email list which is something Chris has cobbled together manually over the years. You should be able to set which information you’d like to receive from us. We seem to have a few major things we update you on: Trails, Board Meetings, Limbaugh Canyon, Special Events/Announcements, Vandalism. And then there is the siple category “ALL” – which is pretty much what it sounds like. Needless to say we really don’t send out that many emails every month but you can refine what you receive. While you are there please take a second and make sure we have your name too! www.fomp.org/newsletter Thanks.
4. Vandalism? Yes! The Preserve has been the recent target of more than one spray paint “tagging”. The old caretakers structure on the South side was spray painted as were several other structures. Also, on Saturday night several signs including the map of the district were all destroyed. If you know anything about ither of these events please pass that on the board at info@fomp.org or call CHris at 719.488.9850. You can also call officer Tom Healy of the USFS at 719.477.4204 to report any vandalism. The FOMP board also met with officer Healy recently and one of the things we’re going to do is make sure that he has an avenue to reach out to the community in a timely manner. Hence the FOMP email list re: vandalism. We’ll use that to pass on requests from officer Healy regarding any vandalism to our local USFS resources. Hopefully we won’t need to use it very often.