For me, the approach of Christmas at Ecotrust is inevitably accompanied by two related phenomena. The first is the mad scramble to finish up the business of the current year and complete the planning for the next. The second - generated in part by the first - is a reflection on Ecotrust's achievements and a great surge of the gratitude I feel for all of you who continue to support in myriad ways "the trust" we set out to create 19 long years ago.
On the eve of our 20th Anniversary, I am sincerely grateful for your contributions and want to thank you from the bottom on my heart for making 2011 a particularly productive year. I hope you are as impressed as I am that we:
- Awarded $343,000 to 22 outstanding projects that will help protect Alberta's water, wildlife, natural habitat and air.
- Contributed $180,000 via Kananaskis Summit Legacy Grants to five organizations coordinating their work "to maintain and enhance wildlife connectivity and security in the Bow Corridor."
- Gave an additional $108,000 in Youth Environmental Steward and other Strategic grants.
- Helped the organizations leading those projects increase their effectiveness by providing them the "cash, capacity and connections" they need to successfully fulfill their missions.
- Made a big splash with River Rally 2011 - one of our most successful investments in watershed stewardship to date - with financial support from Suncor Energy, Encana, RBC Foundation through RBC's Blue Water Project, EPCOR and Capital Power Corporation.
- Retained all of our 2010-2011 corporate partners and added a new one, bringing the total to 19.
- Made great progress with our "Rethinking Ecotrust" project, the results of which will become evident over the course of 2012 - Ecotrust's 20th Year of building partnerships to create the future we want in the environment we need.
Your long-standing encouragement, your many volunteer hours, and your generous financial support have made it all possible. I hope you feel as proud of our accomplishments as I do.
Pat Letizia,
Executive Director
