Refuge Updates

Here are a few time-sensitive items to share with our friends and volunteers:

If you’ve been waiting to purchase an America the Beautiful Park Pass they have finally arrived! Annual passes are $80; senior annual passes (persons 62 and older) are $20; senior life-time are $80; and disabled persons access passes are free. You can purchase your pass at our office Monday or Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. or other days by appointment. If you aren’t familiar with the park passes, visit https://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html.

Wabasha Bird City declaration of support for International Migratory Bird Day will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2022, at 9:30 AM, at the Wabasha Public Library and followed by Zoom virtual keynote speaker Scott Weidensaul at 9:45 AM. Scott Weidensaul (pronounced WHY-densaul), is the author of more than two dozen books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist Living on the Wind and his latest, the New York Times bestseller A World on the Wing. If you are interested in participating in the keynote speaker zoom call, please request the log-in link from Nancy Falkum at [email protected].

Reminder, the Winona History Center Spring into History, Museum Open House is Sunday, March 20 from Noon – 4:00 p.m. Thank you to all who have volunteered already to staff the Friends table but there is room for more people if you are interested! Just give me a call or send an email and we’ll get you on the schedule.

Early head’s-up, mark your calendars for a river cleanup on Saturday, April 23 on Pool 6 (Winona Pool). Times and details will be available closer to the event date.

And finally, a big THANK YOU to everyone who assisted with the Youth Fishing Event at McNally and the Friends for purchasing cookies for the event. Covid protocol limited the event to 35 participants and 15 workers but it went off without a hitch! No fish were caught but it was still a fun time. Below are a few photos from the event and one thank you note that came in after.