Dear Friend, I invite you to become a Member of the Phillips Wharf Environmental Center. This is a difficult time and I realize many of you are reconsidering your charitable giving. Please consider adding the Phillips Wharf Environmental Center to the list of nonprofit organizations you will support this year. Here are some reasons why: - PWEC is dedicated to the environment of the Eastern Shore. - PWEC is local, created by and for the people of Bay Hundred. - PWEC has very little overhead, with virtually all money going to programs. - PWEC is small but ambitious, so a few dollars make a big impact. - PWEC is politically and financially unaffiliated. - PWEC fills a real need. Restoration of the Bay and its rivers calls for strong leadership from government and business, but we cannot leave it all up to “them.” All of “us” too—adult and child—must learn to become better stewards of our environment. We at the Phillips Wharf Environmental Center believe that it comes down to making a personal commitment—a pledge to do the least harm and to help in the clean-up and preservation work. You Have a Need to Know Real commitments are built on knowledge. We must understand in detail what hurts the Bay and what can help. We need to know about remedies and safer alternatives. Only then we can promote best practices in our homes, businesses, and communities. We have to do more than “care” about the Bay; we must stand up for it in word and deed. Phillips Wharf Environmental Center will help by providing leadership and reliable information based on good science. A Youth-Centered Approach Over the years, Phillips Wharf Environmental Center has built a solid reputation working effectively with children of various ages and making the Center into a great place for kids to get up close to Bay plants and animals. New programs are being developed and kid-tested. Soon, Phillips Wharf Environmental Center will be able to take its show on the road, with a mobile touch tank. An Adult-Centered Approach In 2009, PWEC will expand its mission by providing further useful services to our adult community. Specifically, I want to put PWEC at the center of our area’s “green” revolution. We will try to renew your sense of wonder in the flora and fauna of the Bay and provide you with reliable information about problems and remedies. Where answers have yet to be found, we will present the debate honestly. Through public presentations, information alerts, study programs, discussion groups, field trips, and other means, we will address a range of topics—recycling, sewage treatment, trash removal, electricity conservation, renewable energy opportunities, our historic and cultural environment, and more. Your Contribution You can make your personal commitment by accepting our invitation to join the PWEC family. An Annual Membership is just $35, but give whatever amount is right for you. Recently, I was heartened to learn from the Maryland Nonprofits organization that fund-raising is not down across the board. Individuals are making critical choices with their scarce dollars and they are supporting endeavors that are vital to their immediate concerns. We trust you will find PWEC in that category. Please show your support for the environment and willingness to take on strategies for sensible living by becoming a member of PWEC. We, in turn, will bring to our community the information, ideas, concepts and real projects to help bring our lives into balance with our environment. We share all of it and we’re hoping you’ll do your own share in support of the Bay. Your Participation PWEC is a network of volunteers, serving in a variety of ways. Please take a thoughtful look at our organizational structure to see where you might serve. Most roles do not require participation on a regular schedule, and meetings are kept to an absolute minimum. But there is work to be done and your help would be much appreciated. If you feel you can contribute your skills, creativity, and experience on one (or more) of the Project Teams, just mark the reply card and we’ll get in touch. Or give me a call at 410-886-9200. Stop In April is the beginning of our season. Please call to arrange a visit to the Center sometime soon. Bring kids! You’ll have fun, too. Yours truly, Kelley Cox | 
