by John Dowd
Last Thursday, Lone Rock School received the second part of a donation from Friends of the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. The donation started last spring, when the organization gave the school 15 Sibley Birding West books, which board members explained are one of the best resources for birds in the area. The books have already been used by the second and seventh graders around campus and during field trips to the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. According to Lone Rock School Principal and Superintendent, Robert DoBell, they usually take the field trips in the spring and so will make good use of both parts of the organization’s donation this coming spring.
Last week, the board again met at the school to hand off 15 brand new Vortex binoculars to go with the books. “As a group, the Friends really want to educate the kids of the valley about their area,” said organization board member Pam Scranton. “The more kids learn about the area, the more they learn to value and protect it,” added Pam’s husband, Chris, who is also a board member.
According to DoBell, the school has been involved with the organization for a long time. Their official connection started several years ago when a tree was damaged in a storm. The top was cut off and the school had the organization build a raptor nest at its top for school-goers to possibly get the chance to see more bird activity.
DoBell has also been friends with board members Mary Hayes and her husband Paul for many years. This plus the fact that Lone Rock is one of the closest schools in the valley to the refuge and that it was a size the organization could afford to donate to, are reasons why the Friends of the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge chose Lone Rock to receive the donations. This donation is what they are calling a pilot program, and the group plans to donate the same to more schools in the valley.
According to DoBell, the reason second and seventh graders are the ones getting the donations is because, “The curriculum aligns at those grade levels.” With seventh graders starting Montana history, it “connects the two disciplines” of wildlife and state history. DoBell believes the books and binoculars “expand opportunities for kids to get to know their surroundings.”
Though Lone Rock was chosen first because of its size, being the only K-8 school left in the valley, the group wants to grow the program. The organization hopes other school districts will reach out with interest in the birding donation program.
Friends of the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge receives the money for donations like the books and binoculars from the state. They are part of a license plate program they signed on to in 2004. This program cost the organization $4,000 to start, and allowed them to create the art for a license plate anyone in the state can buy. The initial cost of a plate is $35, according to Mary Hayes. $20 of that goes to the organization, and with each plate renewal, an additional $20 gets donated to them also. Every month, Friends of the Refuge receives a check from the State of Montana.
For more information about the organization and how to get involved, interested parties can contact the group at (406)777-5645.