IN THIS ISSUE Provincial Convention A PUBLICATION OF DUCKS UNLIMITED CANADA ONTARIO WINTER 2010, VOLUME 9. May 27th 30th, 2010

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1 A PUBLICATION OF DUCKS UNLIMITED CANADA ONTARIO WINTER 2010, VOLUME 9 IN THIS ISSUE 2010 Provincial Convention May 27th 30th, Provincial Convention...1 Welcome DUC Loyalists 1000 Islands 1000 Memories! Ontario Volunteer Council...2 Message from Provincial Chair...4 Greetings to DUC Ontario Volunteers...4 Support for Wetland Education...5 Conservation Kudos...6 Top 20 Chapters...7 High Flyer Raffle...8 Memberships Make a Difference Leadership Seminar...10 SBA Bid Slips Save Wetlands...12 Register now to join DUC Volunteers From around Ontario! To register with DUC please complete the form enclosed within the Ductario or your registration package and return it to Rhonda in the DU Kingston office. You must book your accommodations separately at the Four Points , please mention that you are with the Ducks Unlimited Group. To book accommodations online please go to Early Bird prizes for Drakes and Hens!! To get into the Early Bird draw please register by March 31st, 2010 Join us as we celebrate a weekend full of entertainment, friendship and laughter at the Four Points Kingston which features 171 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, each offering picturesque views of Kingston or Lake Ontario. Located just steps from many historic sites and scenic wonders, this hotel provides easy access to the world-famous 1000 Islands, fantastic restaurants and authentic pubs. Highlights Grey Cup Champion and motivational speaker Jude St John will be our MC Comedian Glen Foster Gala Banquet with live and silent auctions Greenwing Day at the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area Habitat Tour on Wolfe Island Boost Fundraising Efforts...13 Guide to Fundraising...14 DUcks Unlimited Canada Norris Crt Kingston, ON K7P 2R9 Toll Free Fax Four Points by Sheraton 285 King St E Kingston, ON K7L 3B1 Toll Free Fax Special DU Cancellation at Post Office Convention Registration Form...16

2 Ontario Volunteer Council Provincial Chair Gary Down Provincial Treasurer Marilyn Down Provincial Major Gift Chair Provincial Convention Chair Jackie Down Provincial SBA Chair Ontario Manager of Event Fundraising Steve Stinkowji Staff Administrator Rhonda Simpson Northwestern District District Chair Vacant District Secretary Treasurer Sunset Country Zone Chair Lisa Jeffery Thunder Bay Zone Chair Fundraising Manager Andy Laidley Coastal Zone Chair Dan Wheeler Woodlands Zone Chair Ed Hoffman Fundraising Manager Steve Stinkowji Fundraising Manager Assistant Rhonda Simpson Northeastern District District Chair Tom Cybolsky District Secretary Treasurer Saunders Porter Hearst/Kapuskasing Zone Chair Claude Roy Cochrane Zone Chair Larry Porter Timmins Zone Chair Dave McKean Timiskaming Zone Chair Ric Ede Fundraising Manager Steve Stinkowji Fundraising Manager Assistant Rhonda Simpson Near North District District Chair Don Beamish District Secretary Treasurer Diane Beamish Nipissing Zone Chair Jim Krech Sudbury Zone Chair North Shore Zone Chair Jeff Buck Algoma Zone Chair Lisa Kenopic Muskoka/Parry Sound Zone Chair Fundraising Manager Andy Laidley Fundraising Manager Assistant Noreen Pearsell

3 * Please apply for any vacant position through your Fundraising Manager or through customer service at Lakes District District Chair John Stevens District Secretary Treasurer Carolyn Stevens Highlands Zone Chair John Stevens Haliburton Zone Chair Peterborough Zone Chair Scott Hueston South Lakes Zone Chair Jackie Down Fundraising Manager Andy Laidley Fundraising Manager Assistant Noreen Pearsell Georgian Bay/Toronto District District Chair Bonita O'Carroll District Secretary Treasurer Nick J. van Nes Simcoe Zone Chair Alex Smith Greenbelt Zone Chair Pat Rich Lakeshore Zone Chair Vacant* Toronto Zone Chair Ed Seagram Fundraising Manager Dave Bishop Fundraising Manager Assistant Noreen Pearsell Heritage Flyway District District Chair Kim Black District Secretary Treasurer Judi Wright Erie St Clair Zone Chair Gary Anderson South Point Shore Zone Chair Kyle Breault Long Point Zone Chair Tom Millar Grand Central Zone Chair Archie McLarty Heartland Zone Chair Brian Kirk Northshore Zone Chair Mark Gilchrist Bruce Zone Chair Joe Reichenbach Niagara Zone Chair Fundraising Manager Jerry Kwicinski Fundraising Manager Assistant Rhonda Simpson Eastern Ontario District District Chair District Secretary Treasurer Robert McRae Rideau Zone Chair Loyalist Zone Chair Bill Elliot Ottawa Valley Zone Chair St. Lawrence Zone Chair Alain Marleau Campbellford Zone Chair Capital City Zone Chair Robert McRae Quinte Zone Chair Brad Hendrick Cataraqui Zone Chair Mark DesRoches Fundraising Manager Tim Binch Fundraising Manager Assistant Noreen Pearsell

4 MESSAGE FROM GARY DOWN, OUR PROVINCIAL CHAIR Greetings from Oshawa. I hope everyone enjoyed the summer-like weather this fall, and to those of you who are waterfowlers, I trust that your dog worked well, your waders didn't leak and you made a few great shots that you can remember this winter. As I compose this message we are in a busy time for D.U. volunteers across Ontario. Many chapters are holding their dinner/ auctions which are the core component of our company's fundraising efforts. Congratulations and sincere thanks to all those dedicated volunteers who plan events, solicit donations and sell tickets. Thanks to your hard work, our event system has performed well in these difficult economic times. At our recent joint board meetings in Saskatoon, I had the opportunity to discuss D.U. issues with fellow volunteers from across Canada and the U.S.A. We are all experiencing similar challenges, but we are continuing to bring in new members, add new events and educate our youth and our political leaders about the urgency of wetland preservation. Both D.U. Canada and D.U. Inc. expect to exceed the fundraising targets for our 6 year WETLANDS FOR TOMORROW campaign before it ends in I urge all of you and your families to join us in Kingston in May 2010 for our Ontario Volunteer Convention. Come out and celebrate our successes and have a great time with your D.U. friends. Your registration package will detail all the activities for the weekend. Don't miss out on this exciting event! SEE YOU IN KINGSTON!! GREETINGS TO ONTARIO VOLUNTEERS Dear Fellow Volunteers Winter is here! The cold has set in and the ducks have headed off to the sunny south where some of you may also be heading in the coming months. We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday and have set some achievable New Year's resolutions for I know losing a few pounds is top of my list! Our event program continues to be the base for Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). This program, run by you our volunteer, is critical to DUC's future success. You bring individual supporters in from each and every community across Ontario. You show them how great it is to be part of an organization that gets things done. You are able to connect to what we do on the ground to that individual in your community. You are responsible for recruiting our Major Gift donors, Directors, a large number of our staff, landowners, members, senior volunteers and even our Presidents. It is all because you hold an annual fundraising event in your community that in turn has introduced all of these people to our great organization. At the leadership seminars this year you will see a common theme Let's get back to basics. During the past years we have created a plethora of tools to assist you in your fundraising efforts. They are all great but they will not put on a successful event without you. This year we really want to focus on what matters the most and that is getting as many people out to a DU fundraising event in We all know that the best way to do this is to get out in our communities and ask individuals and businesses for their support face to face. But please remember you are not just selling a ticket to your local event, you are building the base for the organization. The next person you sell a ticket to may one day be our next President! We are looking forward to seeing you at your District Leadership Seminars. The fundraising staff have put a lot of effort into these in order to ensure you have all the up to date information that DUC has to offer, you are prepared for a great event in 2010 with new ideas and most importantly to show how appreciative we are for all of your hard work and dedication throughout the 2009 year. DUC needs and appreciates you very much. Happy New Year! 4 duc tario Winter 2010

5 NEW OTF SUPPORT FOR WETLAND EDUCATION IN HALTON & PEEL Thousands of students and teachers in the Halton & Peel regions will be receiving Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) Project Webfoot wetland resources thanks to a new grant from The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). The students will receive DUC's resources, and they will experience an exciting field trip, while the teachers are treated to new activities for their classroom. The new funding provides 60 classes per year for three years with an inc l a s s resource kit and handson field trip to Crawford Lake Conservation area or the Mountsberg Conservation area run by Conservation Halton. DUC education staff will work in partnership with the Halton & Peel school boards to identify the most disadvantaged and worthy grade 4 classes to receive this stimulating opportunity. The OTF grant comes on the heels of an award announcement for DUC wetland multicultural materials which will be provided to each class participating in the program. DUC's multicultural education project 'Wetlands and the World' received first prize at the 2009 National Association for Interpretation (NAI) Media Award Competition in the Interpretive Curriculum category. Merebeth Switzer, the National Education Coordinator for DUC and creator of the 'Wetlands and the World' materials, explains that DUC saw an incredible need and opportunity to engage children and their families new to Canada in a way that made them feel included and part of their new home. And, more importantly, you never know who will influence our conservation efforts, now or as one of Canada's future leaders. We are very pleased with this award, said Rick Wishart, Director of Education with DUC, as it recognizes the high quality of DUC's education program that helps teachers across Canada provide their students with understanding and appreciation about the value of wetlands and the importance of conserving them. 'Wetlands and the World' is a cross-cultural resource for teachers linked to the elementary science curriculum that explores wetlands and their values in maintaining a healthy world. The background research and initial development was funded by the OTF, who are now supporting the reprinting and distribution to these additional schools. 'Wetlands and the World' can be downloaded, free-ofcharge from DUC's education website at education.ducks.ca or education.canards.ca. Stephanie Walker, education specialist for Ontario noted that she was delighted with the successful partnership between DUC, Halton-Peel school boards, Conservation Halton and The Ontario Trillium Foundation. The joint project allows students the opportunity to get outside and explore a local wetland while addressing the wonderful diversity we see in urban schools. The first classes participating in this opportunity will spend the winter months exploring wetlands in the classroom and will then move into a marsh environment in Spring A registration form for the 2010 Ontario Volunteer Convention is on the back page of this issue of Ductario! There is also a separate registration package for the convention included in this mailing. May 27 30, 2010 Four Points by Sheraton Kingston, ON For more information please call Rhonda Simpson at duc tario Winter

6 CONSERVATION KUDOS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDES HUGE BOOST FOR WETLAND CONSERVATION IN ONTARIO The federal government has made a major commitment for wetland conservation in Ontario by announcing up to $3 million in funding through the Southern Ontario Development Project (SODP) that will help Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) upgrade 72 projects throughout Southern Ontario. DUC will be contributing 1.5 million for a total of 4.5 million in upgrades. st The work must be substantially completed by March 31 and DUC Head of Habitat Asset Management, Rick Robb has contractors and project managers lined up to ensure DUC can meet this commitment. Provincial Chair Gary Down chats with a Friends of Second Marsh representative while Vice President Tom Wordon is interviewed by reporters in the background. R o b b i s working with Conservation Programs Manager Owen Steele, Head of Finance Rick Haigh and Provincial Operations Manager Jim Brennan to finalize the list of projects. The final list may be subject to change because it will depend on approvals from landowners and regulatory authorities, and the ability to get the projects completed by the end of March. DUC wetland projects are designed to have a productive life of years and the funding will go toward rebuilding berms, along with upgrades and enhanced safety features on projects with water control structures. While DUC fundraising efforts are often focused on new projects, it is vitally important to protect and maintain all the acres in which DUC has already invested. These upgrades ensure that valuable waterfowl habitat is protected for many more years to come. For more information visit: Ontario Wetland Care Program nets over 15,000 acres By working through partners across Southern Ontario, the Ontario Wetland Care will see over 15,000 acres of wetland habitat placed under DUC agreements with private and public landowners. These DUC Vice President Tom Worden was a spokesperson are wetland at the media announcement held at Oshawa Second Marsh on November 24, restoration projects that are built by landowners or partners, as well as nest box projects many of which place large acres of wetlands and surrounding habitats under the protection of a conservation agreement. Congratulations go out to DU Conservation specialists Darrell Randall, Jeff Krete, Jennifer Lavigne, Mike Williams, Robert Messier and Tracy Logan on the success of this program, with special thanks to the Ministry of Natural Resources for its financial support. Funding for the Ontario Wetland Care program wraps up in March and contract staff Tracy Logan and Robert Messier have both found permanent jobs in the conservation industry. Mike Hamilton Watershed Stewardship Coordinator Cherish Elwell (left) and Nest Box builder Alfie Stanevicius (right) help a local landowner (centre) build his own nest box at a workshop in November. Williams is on secondment to the Ministry of Natural Resources for just under two years. 6 duc tario Winter 2010

7 TOP 20 ON CHAPTERS CALENDAR YEAR 2009 BASED ON EVENT INCOME 1. Markham $ 58, Ashburn $ 50, Toronto $ 39, Napanee $ 36, Sudbury $ 34, Apsley $ 33, Cornwall $ 31, Lindsay $ 28, Peterborough $ 26, Iqaluit $ 26, Aylmer $ 25, Cochrane $ 23, Minden $ 22, Timmins $ 21, Kingston Fall $ 20, Parry Sound $ 20, Kirkland Lake $ 19, Ottawa/Gloucester $ 19, Smith Falls $ 19, Campbellford $ 17,856 Brantford Chapter Kingsville Chapter (where s Sarah?) Long Point Men s Chapter Port Elgin Chapter Napanee Chapter Cornwall Chapter Sioux Lookout Chapter duc tario Winter

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9 MEMBERSHIPS MAKE A DIFFERENCE BE SURE YOUR EVENT ATTENDEES ARE SIGNED UP! Keep your event attendees connected to Ducks all year long. Collect your event attendees' contact information and help create valuable and lasting relationships that benefit both Ducks and these important supporters. Ducks' membership team uses the contact information you collect to sign attendees up as members and notify them of other ways to support the cause. Plus, having this information enables your chapter to send invitations to next year's event or other special Ducks activities in the area. An attendee at your event may be Ducks' next major sponsor, monthly contributor or chapter volunteer! Contact information from completed memberships allows Ducks to ask for and receive more support. It's a win-win: attendees enjoy the perks and personal satisfaction that come with being a Ducks member; and Ducks benefits from members' ongoing support throughout the year! As your event approaches remember that membership makes a big difference in the fight to save wetlands. Here are a few tips: - If a business purchases tickets to an entire table, take the opportunity during the night to introduce yourself, thank everyone for coming, and take down the names and addresses of everyone at the table. - In place of a ticket, offer to sell memberships to those who are unable to attend your event. - Friendly follow ups. When you see event attendees after your event, thank them again for coming and ask if they've received their membership package or first issue of the Conservator. A big part of recruiting people to the Ducks team and retaining them has to do with making them feel part of it. ANNUAL TAX RECEIPTS Effective August 1, 2009 Ducks supporters will be issued tax receipts for their charitable donations on an annual basis. Donors should watch their mailbox during the months leading up to February 28 for receipts acknowledging contributions made during the prior year. This allows Ducks supporters to claim their donations on their annual income tax returns. Making the switch from continuous to annual receipting allows Ducks to reduce administrative costs and invest more money where it matters most our wetland conservation efforts. This small change will add up and make a tangible difference in Ducks' ongoing efforts to save wetlands. If you have any questions regarding charitable donations and tax receipts, please contact member@ducks.ca or DUCK (3825) duc tario Winter

10 Make plans to attend the 2010 Leadership Seminar in your District! Near North District January 16, 2010 Northeastern District January 23, 2010 Eastern District January 23, 2010 Lakes District January 23, 2010 Heritage Flyway January 30, 2010 Date Location Time Contacts Howard John Salon Andy Laidley 50 Brady St 2:30 10 pm Noreen Pearsell Sudbury North Western District January 30, 2010 Georgian Bay/Toronto February 20, 2010 Englehart Curling Club - Seminar Olde Town Inn - Accommodations Englehart Ambassador Hotel Kingston Eganridge Golf & Country Club Bobcaygeon Greek Canadian Community Centre London Valhalla Inn Thunder Bay Mariposa Inn Orillia Curling 1 4 pm Seminar & Banquet 4-10pm 2:00 9 pm 2:00 10 pm 2:00 6:00 pm 3:30 10:30 3:00 10:00 Steve Stinkowji Tom Cybolsky Ric Ede Tim Binch Noreen Pearsell Andy Laidley Jackie Down Jerry Kwicinski Rhonda Simpson Steve Stinkowji Andy Laidley Dave Bishop Noreen Pearsell More information can be found on our website at Select attend a local event on the right hand side, choose Ontario and then scroll down until you find your Volunteer Appreciation information. 10 duc tario Winter 2010

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12 VALID SBA BID SLIPS SAVE WETLANDS When it comes to generating revenue from your SBA site, the winning bid is only the beginning. Your collection of SBA bid slips is an important fundraising and recruiting tool. That's why it's so important that you return all valid bid slips to DUC after your auction closes and the winning bidder has been confirmed. Valid bid slips contain the names and addresses of hundreds of potential donors, members and DUC volunteers. Saving these in the DUC system allows us to send bidders a variety of promotional material that encourages them to join the Ducks team. Plus, SBA bidders are entered into your chapter's database, which enables you to invite them to your next local event. Getting the names is the hard part once we have them it's easy to start spreading the word about wetlands and the leading role DUC plays in restoring, managing and conserving these vital areas. For more information about determining valid bid slips, please see your SBA volunteer manual. Top 20 ON SBA Chapters for Calendar Year 2009 Based on Net income 1. Coniston $ 57, Peterborough $ 19, Orillia $ 14, Lindsay $ 12, Parry Sound $ 11, Timmins $ 11, Orangeville $ 11, Kingston Fall $ 8, Manitoulin Island $ 7, Englehart $ 7, Port Perry $ 7, Kirkland Lake $ 6, Barrie Ladies $ 6, Sault Ste. Marie $ 6, Cobourg $ 6, North Bay $ 5, Brockville $ 4, Sarnia $ 3, Long Point Ladies $ 3, St. Thomas $ 2,719 Congratulations Keep up the great work! 12 duc tario Winter 2010

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14 A VOLUNTEER'S GUIDE TO VIRTUAL FUNDRAISING HOW TO SET UP YOUR OWN WETLANDS FOR TOMORROW FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN As a Ducks volunteer, you're an expert when it comes to raising funds for the wetland conservation cause. And, online fundraising is a great new tool you can use to boost your chapter's income. By tapping into your personal networks online, your fundraising world will open up like never before! For example, when you sell tickets to an event, you might only solicit friends and family who are physically near the event and able to attend. Now, you can ask anyone, anywhere in the world, to support you and your chapter's fundraising efforts by setting up a personal fundraising campaign on Ducks' Wetlands for Tomorrow website. All the money you raise through your personal campaign will be direct to your local chapter. You don't have to be a computer whiz to create your own Wetlands for Tomorrow online fundraising campaign. Step by step instructions are only a click away on Ducks' Volunteer Microsite! Log on to the Volunteer Microsite and choose the Wetlands for Tomorrow tab from the top menu. Then, click on the What volunteers can do to help link and choose Set up your own personal fundraising campaign. Here, you can check out a variety of helpful tools that will walk you through the site, explain what you need to do to get started and how you and your chapter can make the most from virtual fundraising. How to video watch this tutorial and follow along click by click to set up your own personal fundraising campaign. MC speaking notes use this as a guide to inform your event attendees about Ducks' new Wetlands for Tomorrow website and encourage them to log on and set up their own campaign as well. Volunteer newsletter ad spread the word among your fellow chapter members. Remember, all the money you raise online is directed to your local chapter and added to your fundraising total at the end of the year. Social networks follow Ducks online via social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Multimedia check out other cool features like interactive maps, ringtones, screensavers and photos on the Wetlands for Tomorrow website. You'll be amazed at just how easy and fun virtual fundraising can be. Visit the volunteer microsite to get the scoop on how it works. Then, log on to wft.ducks.ca to get started! 14 duc tario Winter 2010

15 Port Rowan Good News, November 2009 Special Ducks Unlimited cancel at Port Rowan Post Office By Bob McClelland For Ducks Unlimited Canada members and supporters, hunters and conservationists, our local post office has just acquired a special th pictorial cancellation rubber stamp. It commemorates the 35 anniversary of the founding of the first Canadian Ducks Unlimited Canada Chapter in Canada the Long Point Chapter of Port Rowan in This cancellation has a variable dates, is a free service and will be available every day for years to come. There are now four pictorial th cancellations available at the Port Rowan post office for the out bound mail. The other three are for the Long Point Lions club's 65 Anniversary (issued in 2003), the Long Point Biosphere and for the Port Rowan's annual Bayfest celebration. In 2008, the St. Williams post office acquired its own pictorial cancellation to celebrate the Centennial of Canada's first forestry station. Like the four Port Rowan cancellations, it has a variable date and is available at no charge for outbound mail. These rubber cancellation devices are not stamps per se, but are used to cancel postage stamps. They are frequently erroneously called 'stamps' as that is the action that happens when the postage stamp cancellation occurs, but in fact the correct term is a 'cancel'. Around 1997, Canada Post's Stamp Advisory Committee (SAC) observed that it was receiving at least 700 annual applications for commemorative postage stamps, but was only approving about twenty requests. SAC members pointed out to the Philatelic Department staff that it usually sent out only 20 'yes' letters, but about 680 'no' letters. The question was raised: How can we say 'yes' to the public more often? As the majority of requests are from local communities eager to celebrate a local event, sending them a declining letter was not in the best interest of Canada Post or the country. So the pressure to say 'yes; more often led to the creation of the pictorial cancel program, to allow local communities to have their events honoured in a positive, yet inexpensive manner. This program is now available nationwide. Interested groups can take a rough sketch to their local postmaster about 6 months before they want their unique cancellation. All 7,400 Canada Post postmasters are now empowered to authorize this program. Canada Post is more likely to approve your request if it's for an anniversary that ends in a 'five' or a 'zero'. Only two of the four cancellations available at the Port Rowan post office meet these criteria, so there are exceptions. ONTARIO STAFF CONTACT LIST Provincial Operations Manager, Provincial Operations: James Brennan Head Finance: Rick Haigh Administration: Michelle Stuckless Administration: Esther Johnson Conservation Planning Manager: Owen Steele Global Information Systems (geographic data & mapping): Helene Gravel, Christie-Lee Hazzard Administration: Michelle Stuckless Development Programs (Major Gift) Senior Regional Manager: Ron Maher Development Manager: James Lee Development Manager: Aaron Everingham Recognition and Pledge Coordinator: Bonnie Braga Education Program Project Webfoot Ontario Coordinator: Stephanie Walker Fundraising Manager, Event and Volunteer Programs: Steve Stinkowji Fundraising Manager Assistants: Rhonda Simpson, Noreen Pearsell Fundraising Managers: Andy Laidley, Dave Bishop, Tim Binch, Jerry Kwicinski Urban Sealed Bid Auction: Scott Baker Government Programs Manager: Julie Cayley Municipal Policy: Kevin Rich, Joshua Mailhiot Federal Policy: Erling Armson Habitat Programs Habitat Asset Management Team Manager: Rick Robb Shawn Fairbank, Craig Berga Securement Manager: Scott Muir Darrell Randell Restoration Manager: Dave McLachlin Administration: Michelle Stuckless Marketing & Communications Joanne Barbazza Outreach Programs Manager: Lynette Mader Extension Team: Erling Armson, Mike Williams, Robert Messier, Jennifer Lavigne, Tracy Logan, Darrell Randell, Jeff Krete, Lynn Elsey Barrie Office Kingston Office 740 Huronia Rd 614 Norris Crt Unit 1 Unit 1 Barrie, Ontario Kingston, Ontario L4N 6C6 K7P 2R9 Tel: Tel: Toll Free: Toll Free: Fax: Fax: du_barrie@ducks.ca du_kingston@ducks.ca duc tario Winter

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