As we enter into the 2007 New Year, the Board of Directors and I are very pleased to have the honor and responsibility of representing the members of The Alaska Bird Club and acting on their behalf. We hope to do the very best we can to meet the needs of the members, birds in need and the avian community at large across the state.

The Alaska Bird Club is unique in that we are one of the few bird clubs across the U.S. that also has a non-profit status. The Alaska Bird Club's mission is to promote responsible avian ownership through education and when possible, to provide rescue and adoption services for abandoned and unwanted birds in communities across Alaska. The activities that we perform must fit within the educational mandate as a non-profit and in keeping with the stated mission.

Various seminar presenters and experts have repeatedly reported that The Alaska Bird Club is on the cutting edge with the programs that we offer and that our members seem to be very well informed about avian care. Continuing to offer and manage the Adopt-A-Bird Program, Lost/Found-Rescue Committee and other programs takes a large volunteer base. To remain on ‘the cutting edge’ means taking risks and trying new things. It also means soliciting ‘fresh’ ideas and new volunteers.

This year, The Alaska Bird Club will begin several innovative programs such as building an emergency services support network and system for bird owners and their companion parrots, exploring the feasibility of opening satellite chapters in the major hubs across Alaska and looking into the possibility of establishing expert advisors to the board and its members. Additionally, we will be ‘shaking’ up our monthly meetings and trying out some new activities. A “How to:” component will be added to meetings, we will have several contests throughout the year and will be offering some great fund raising events that should be fun for the entire family.

If you have never attended a meeting or haven’t been to a meeting in a while, please come by and check us out! If you’d like to volunteer and make a difference in a bird’s life, a bird companion’s life or learn more about caring for your bird we have lots to offer. This promises to be an exciting and fun year and we hope you come along for the adventure and fun!

-- Leanna Rein, 2007 TABC President

The Alaska Bird Club • P.O. Box 101825 • Anchorage AK 99510
akbirdclub@yahoo.com