Sandhill Crane photo by Carol Freeman
Volunteer Appreciation
We are a grassroots group that is fueled by the energy of people who love and care about birds. Whether you have a little time to spare or would like to become part of our organizing team, you can find an opportunity to make a difference.
Learn about our volunteer opportunities
In 2022, we accomplished a lot together. As a tribute to the great energies and accomplishments of CAS volunteers, a donation of $500 was made to our Welcome to Birding Program Fund.
2022 Volunteers
Programs included our Conservation Awards Brunch
Lindsay Vacek, Jackie Smith, Alan Anderson, Rachel Patterson, Sunshine De Vries, Pat Miller, Jorge Garcia
Field Trips and Bird Walks have increased!
Lindsay Vacek, John Elliott, Pat Durkin, Jennie Strable, Cheryl Muth, Mark Pohlad, Jorge Garcia, Sunshine Cahill, Woody Goss, Josh Engel, Lauren Umek, Jackie Smith, CJ Greco, Jeff Witzig, Emma Olsen, Jerome Palliser, Teresa Pacione Paz, Jeff Bilsky, Amanda Tichacek, Mark Ross, John Bates, Matt Greenberger, Stephanie Beilke and Alex Landberg
A special thank you to Mark Pohlad who led the weekly (during migration seasons) North Park Village Nature Center Walks last year and Jorge Garcia who is replacing him this year. And of course to Cheryl Muth and Jennie Strable who lead the Jackson Park walks every single week of the year!
Our Communications crew continues to slay.
Ann Hetzel Gunkel, Judy Cheske, Jessica Johnson, Miyako Pleines, John Elliott, Lindsay Vacek, Tony Yee, Lillian Holden, Woody Goss, Sujud Ottman, Joy Yee, Michael Rasmussen, Kathy Welton, Grace Broderick, Michelle Weaver, Annabelle Hladik, Jim Hansen
We thank all the photographers who generously share their photos in our Facebook group and by tagging us on Instagram.
Our advocacy for birds is growing
Annette Prince, Sarah Brotherton, Jeff Bilsky, Dana Harbaugh, Anna Park, Amanda, Tichacek, Tamima Itani, Sally Stone, Rob Sulski, Henrietta Saunders, Ian Sarmiento, Walter Marcisz, Bobbi Asher, Lisette Zaid
Conservation projects included our Camp Pine shrubland habitat restoration, our Washingto Park hummingbird garden, our River Park Bird Habitat restoration, and our Checklist revision
Ken Shaeffer, Alex Landberg, Claire Labuda, John Elliott, Raed Mansour, Alix Gnoske, Alan Anderson, Jarrod Routh, Colleen McVeigh, Alex Rocklin, Joanna Sjoblom, Mark Kolasa, Rachel Kimpton, Laura McAlpine, Frank Geilen, Jeff Sanders, Joe Lill, Walter Marcisz, Al Stokie, Doug Stotz, Alan Anderson, Liz Huyck, Jacob Drucker, Lila Fried, Colleen McVeigh, Sean Murphy, Ellen Douglas, Wendy Williams, Venyar Davis, Peter Cassel, Meredith Doucette, Brighten Jelke, Michael Lampl, Mary Taylor, Alex McHenry, Silvie Fankhauser, Leah Bobalova, Salina Flores Mansour, Karen Formanski, Jeanne Kracher, Brendan Yapp, Mariya Krutnyk, Emily Heye, Jack Davila, Haley Sullivan
We made our budget this year with help from our membership and finance volunteers including our native plant sale and our birdseed sale
Laura Jean Bailey, Nancy Bradt, Alisa Baum, Lindsay Vacek, Bobbi Asher, Alex Landberg, Lisette Zaid, Judy Cheske, Paul Byrne, John Elliott, Mary Ann Gottlieb, Colleen McVeigh, CJ Greco, Will Heelan, Melanie Weiss, Scott Pollock, Laury Lewis, Pedro Villagomez, Nanditha Gajanur, Shikhar Pandey, Erwin Heyek, Jake Pollock, Alan Anderson, Paul Byrne, Alisa Baum, Cathy King, Joe Koller, Elizabeth Plonka, Jenelle Davis, M C Mylander, Pam Karlson, Marilyn Ferri, Irene & Dan Weinman, Alex Gnoske Davila, Nicholas Machev, Mary Taylor, Robin Jennings, Christine Johnson, Jack Swenson, Susan Kauffman, Sandra Shields, Robin Wilson, Ann Hetzel Gunkel
Our 2022 board members guided all our 2022 work
Many thanks to the members who have left the board this year - Forrest Cortes, Jenn Johnson, Adriana Garcia - and to our 2022 board members.
Partnerships are a crucial part of our work
Bird Friendly Chicago: Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, Chicago Ornithological Society, Field Museum, Illinois Environmental Council, Chicago Department of Planning,
Compelling Voices: Chicago Ornithological Society, Peggy Notebaert Nature Center
Chicago Piping Plovers: Chicago Ornithological Society, Illinois Ornithological Society, Audubon Great Lakes, Chicago Park District, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Forest Preserves of Cook County, Openlands
Other Partners: North Park Village Nature Center, Erva Tool, Good Earth Greenhouse, Chicago Park District, Forest Preserves of Cook County, Friends of the Chicago River, Audubon Great Lakes, Blacks in Green, University of Chicago Audubon, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioners Cam Davis, Marcelino Garcia and Eira Corral Sepúlveda and their staffs, MWRD staff, ComEd, Openlands
Thanks to our staff person Monica Sargeant who contributed to many of these efforts.