Finding Our Way Forward Through Covid 19

​March, 2020, was a turning point for Red Rock Audubon Society.  The reality of living in a society with a deadly virus brought all our gatherings to a halt.  General meeting - cancelled. Bird walks - cancelled. Birds and Beers (or Beverages) - cancelled.  Community outreach programs - cancelled.  No Bioblitz at Clark County Wetlands Park or Children's Festival at the Winchester Dondero Cultural Center.  No field trips. And our fledgling Winchester Nesters program was grounded.  And while some of us managed to salvage a bit of Global Big Day as a Great Basin Bird Observatory Bird-a-Thon, this annual adventure with friends wasn't near the fun it used to be.

our Stay Home for Nevada has not been all bad.  It has provided everyone an opportunity to reconnect with friends, family, and neighbors. And as more of us stayed home, more of us had time to enjoy the nature in our own back yards or our neighborhoods and local parks.
 
The question now is "How do we move on as an organization?"  I, for one, miss seeing everyone at our meetings.  Virtual Birds and Beers has been fun - I wish more of you would join us - but it is not the same as spending time in real life with friends.
 
Your Board of Directors is working hard (via Google Hang Out meetings, of course) to craft a way forward. We cannot predict if we will be meeting face to face come September.  But be assured Red Rock Audubon will find a way to carry out its mission and provide great programs and valuable learning to its members and guests and make it possible for us to connect with our friends again.   
 
President Paul Rodriguez, Membership Chair Doug Chang and I, Social Activities Chair Nancy Chang, recently met with Irma Varela, RRAS member and Cultural Program Supervisor for the Winchester Dondero Cultural Center.  Wearing masks and meeting outdoors (social distancing) we discussed possible and creative ways to restart the Winchester Nesters program.  We are confident we can continue our efforts to provide opportunities for an underserved community to connect with nature.  Stay tuned…
 
Written by Nancy Chang
Photo by Irma Varela