Hello Friends! As you all know, I am an avid bird watcher, and I’ve been lucky enough find happiness and gainful employment by successfully combining my love of birds and science! I recently moved to the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO), where I am Science Programs Director, and I am finding my new position to be incredibly fulfilling. SFBBO is a not‐for‐profit research organization dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats through science and outreach. Birds are important to study because they reflect the changes in the environment quickly, and are excellent indicators of ecosystem function. My work at SFBBO is especially exciting because our research helps guide Bay Area land management decisions, including decisions regarding the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration – at 26,000 acres, this is the largest restoration project on the West Coast! Every fall, SFBBO puts on the California Fall Challenge (CFC), a “Bird‐a‐Thon” fundraiser. We use all funds raised from this event towards programs and research we deem important, thus, I am writing to everyone I know to help! I will be leading a CFC team, “The Jay‐Walkers,” and we will bird (that’s right, a verb!) the city of San Francisco. My husband Scott is helping me lead the trip, and we plan on taking 10 – 15 fellow birders through the city, using only public transportation! Despite being a busy city, San Francisco is a great birding, and scenic, destination – we will bird Golden Gate Park and the coast areas by the Cliff House and Lands End. Please join us as a Sponsor! Or better yet, join us for a great day in San Francisco! You can either pledge a fixed amount, or give what you can afford. Either way, please give generously and know your contribution counts! I’ve attached a sponsor form for you to fill out and return to me. Also, you can join the trip by going to http://www.sfbbo.org/support/join.php. Please do so by October 15, 2008 so I can keep track of my progress. Thank you for your time, and in return for your generosity, I will only hit you up once a fall! I will also send you a letter recapping the day’s events in San Francisco. Thanks again! Jill ([email protected]) California Fall Challenge Pledge Form Name Address City, State, Zip Phone/Email (The above information will be used for this event only and will not be sold or shared with any other organization) I want to help Jill Demers’ fundraising goal by pledging the following: Hummingbird $ 25 Jay $ 50 Hawk $ 75 Eagle $ 100 I want to pledge $ A check is enclosed, payable to SFBBO or San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory. # Charge my Master Card Security Code: Expires (date): Date Signature Visa Discover Card American Express Please do not put me on the SFBBO mailing list or e‐mail list. Remember to send this to Jill Demers, San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, 524 Valley Way, Milpitas, CA 95035 by October 15, 2008. Thank you for your generosity! Your gift is fully tax‐deductible – Tax ID number 94‐2788588!