July/August Partnership Update
August 20, 2021
I am so excited to be writing my first update to you as Program Manager of the South Mountain Partnership. As my second month with the Partnership comes to a close, I am just blown away by what our partners are out there achieving every day, and I am so excited to work to support you and connect you with our programs, funding opportunities, and collaborations!
One of my goals in my first year is it communicate more with you, and to activate our broad audience to participate in the work of our Partners. Partner organizations will be seeing emails from me asking to share what they have going on, and I hope you will always consider sending your news my way (jchain@appalachiantrail.org).
The Partnership has also been moving forward with lighting speed on our key program areas. We received a stellar set of Mini-Grant applications with an ask of more than double our grant capacity. I look forward to sharing our selected recipients with you at the “Power of the Partnership” Annual Celebration this winter.
The Friends of the South Mountain Partnership is celebrating their one-year anniversary through a membership drive this month. I would like to take this opportunity to ask you to please become a member. Starting at $10, these memberships support the collaboration efforts of the Partnership, improve conservation initiatives in the region, and connect you with likeminded (and frankly cool) people! Click here to join.
Lastly, I wanted to make you aware of several great events we are planning this fall where I hope to get to meet you in person…
Our Fall Partnership Meeting will be held on Friday September 17th at Pine Grove State Forest under a pavilion. We hope this is a great safe way for all of us to meet in person outdoors; it has been way too long! Register here. I am particularly excited about the topic of this meeting. Tackling the changing climate often can seem like an insurmountable mountain, but these inspiring presentations will chart a course of how we can collectively respond on both micro and macro levels.
We are also launching a fall Speakers Series of hikes called “Walk and Talks.” We have two planned in Michaux, Sept 24 and Oct 8. Hold the dates! These are going to be a great time, a true mix of learning, exercise, and fun! I hope to see you there.
Talk soon,
Julia Chain
Program Manager of the South Mountain Partnership