At the Alliance, we pride ourselves in empowering our friends and neighbors to make a difference protecting the wildlife, wild places, and community character of Jackson Hole; volunteers are the reason we are able to do what we do!
When considering a donation to the Alliance for our end of the fiscal year drive, remember that we involve and encourage community member participation in all of our campaigns. From our youngest Don’t Poach the Powder ambassadors to our community’s middle class, we constantly encourage and promote community participation in our campaigns.
One of our programs, the Conservation Leadership Institute (CLI), is geared to do just that. This leadership development program teaches graduates (to date, there have been 77) the skills and knowledge to organize, advocate, and hold local decision-makers accountable for building a better future for Jackson Hole.
The best part? Anyone in the community can apply and the program is free of charge to all participants.
A graduate from the last round, Maggie Edmunds, credits CLI with being a big factor in making Jackson feel like home. Like many area residents, the snow initially led Maggie to the valley, where she worked at the Mangy Moose before landing her current gig at Backbone Media. While the full-time job played a role in making her feel more established here, “Learning more about local issues and politics and meeting long-term members of the community (through CLI) has made me feel more involved and informed… and feel a greater sense of ownership in the community.”
Since graduating from CLI this fall, Maggie has played a vital role in the recent successes of the Safe Wildlife Crossings Campaign, including helping to plan the Campaign Kickoff Party in late February and encouraging others in the community to speak up and get involved in protecting the area’s wildlife.
“I’m not always the first person to hop on board political campaigns,” Maggie explained, “but the Safe Wildlife Crossings Campaign is a no brainer. Everyone wants to save lives, both animal and human. We are so lucky to live alongside wildlife in the valley. It’s important that we protect them.”
Maggie’s story is just one of many at the Alliance. We continuously work to foster new leaders in our community. And the inability to pay for programs like CLI should never hinder a potential leader from getting involved.
As we continue to fundraise to meet our end of the fiscal year goals, remember Maggie’s experience. For just under $70 per workshop, another enthusiastic and hardworking community member can enroll in CLI at no cost to themselves and immediately and effectively begin making a difference right here in Jackson Hole. It is important that everyone in our community have access to this leadership training, and thanks to supporters like you, we can make that happen.
With the matching component from a generous sponsor, you can give just $35 today to make that possible. Or for the full $70, you can fund TWO workshops for a CLI participant.
Click here to donate now, and remember to donate before April 1st to help us reach our $50,000 goal.
