December 2011
Dear Bay-Friendly supporter,
Imagine the day when it's the norm that every garden, every schoolyard, every public park and street median, every public and private landscape in your community is Bay-Friendly - designed and maintained to save water, reduce waste, and keep toxins out of our bodies and out of the Bay.
Imagine the day when more and more Bay Area neighbors take down fences - literally and figuratively - to share food harvests, swap seeds, and cultivate gardens, community and friendship.
Sound farfetched? Here at the Bay-Friendly Coalition, we don't think so. Eight years ago, local gardeners planted the seeds of these visions in Alameda County. That's where the Bay-Friendly program first took root. Thanks to the enthusiasm, dedication and hard work of home gardeners, landscape professionals and public agency staff, the program blossomed.
Over the years, passionate gardeners like you have shared the benefits of Bay-Friendly Gardening with friends, neighbors and fellow gardeners. And you've urged us to expand the program to reach more gardeners and more gardens.
We heard you and we've been busy growing. Now we're the Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition, a regional non-profit organization that is spreading Bay-Friendly's holistic practices throughout the Bay Area. We've accomplished a lot since forming the Coalition in 2009, but in these economically challenging times, we urgently need your financial contribution to continue our work.
Please support the Coalition today with a tax-deductible membership donation or gift of $50 or more.
Your donation will allow us to continue to offer the Bay-Friendly garden tours, talks, nursery partnerships and online resources you've asked for. It will also help fund the essential infrastructure the Coalition needs (including updated computer systems and an improved website) to effectively expand Bay-Friendly practices throughout the region.
Despite our small size, the Bay-Friendly Coalition had a big impact in 2011. Our achievements included:
● Expanding the Bay-Friendly Garden Tours beyond Alameda County. More than 2,000 people toured inspirational home gardens in communities throughout the Bay Area, from San Jose to Napa.
● Offering popular nursery talks, with topics including choosing and using fool-proof plants.
● Training more Bay-Friendly Qualified Landscape Professionals in the whole spectrum of Bay-Friendly practices, from sheet mulching to rainwater collection to selecting plants appropriate for Bay Area microclimates.
● Receiving a Clean Tech Innovator of the Year Award from Grow-California, honoring us for our efforts to promote waste reduction, water conservation, and pesticide and herbicide reduction.
Your contribution today will make a world of difference in 2012 and beyond. Here's a glimpse of some of the activities your donation will support:
● More Bay-Friendly Garden Tours. Mark your calendars! Look for tours in Alameda County and Santa Clara County on Sunday, April 29; Napa County on Sunday, May 6; and Marin County on Saturday, May 19.
● More partnerships with nurseries to bring great benefits to home gardeners, including discount coupons on nursery purchases.
● More opportunities for gardeners to get their hands dirty, including hands-on workshops on how to Lose Your Lawn the Bay-Friendly Way (our successful collaboration with regional public water agencies) and online Lose Your Lawn designs that you can adapt for your own property.
Bay-Friendly gardening practices cut irrigation water use by more than 50%, keep waterways clean, and safeguard the health of people and wildlife. You can help us make every neighborhood Bay-Friendly!
Please make your 2011 tax-deductible membership donation or gift today. Donating online via credit card or PayPal is fast, easy and secure. If you prefer to pay by check, please make your check out to Bay-Friendly Coalition and mail it to us at 2140 Shattuck Ave., #2100, Berkeley, CA 94704.
With sincere thanks,
Anne Cook
Anne Cook
Executive Director
Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition
Helping people and plants thrive, naturally!
P.S. Every dollar counts. Individual membership starts at $50 but we gladly accept donations of any amount - and I urge you to make a larger contribution if you have the means to do so.
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