January 12, 2024

Happy New Year! – BPTMN Chapter Members, 

This newsletter aims to provide you with your first Bi-weekly Chapter News update. Expect an email to remind you of a recent newsletter published on our chapter website after the monthly chapter meeting and during the last week of the month.  

You can access our latest bi-weekly newsletter by direct link https://txmn.org/bptmn/newsletters/
OR from our Chapter’s Home Page at bptmn.org,
click on the “Blackland Prairie Newsletter” image.

This bi-weekly newsletter will provide:

• Upcoming Advanced Training (including online Deep Dives and #TMN Tuesdays)
• Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
• Review of the President’s chapter business portion of the recent meeting
• Membership Report
• Important Milestone Achievements, Initial & Re-certifications
• Field Badge Order Form
• Help Wanted
• From the Desk of the Membership Director – Get your 2023 Hours in!
• From the Desk of the Treasurer – Membership Dues!
• Advanced Training recordings
• Last Chapter Meeting recording
• Membership Directory Updated
• New chapter website blog posts (including Shaking the Trees articles)
  – Food Instincts of the Orange-crowned Warbler by Balaji Devarajan
• Next month’s Chapter Meeting information – it’s our own Chris Ulch, Class of 2022
• TMN State Program Updates – including a new #TMNTuesday Mini-Series
• Chapter Advisor – A new advisor, Dr. Curtis Jones
• Chapter Partners

If chapter members need to share information in the bi-weekly newsletters,
please send your requests to communications@bptmn.org.

Looking forward to a beautiful 2024!

Michelle Connally
Communications Director
Blackland Prairie Chapter

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Chapter Meeting Summary

We had over 150 people attend our January meeting, over 75 In-Person and 78 via Zoom!  

Chapter Business

The 2024 Board Members at your service!
(list can also be found in the Members Area of the website)
Direct Link – https://txmn.org/bptmn/member-resources/members-area/

President – Rick Travis
Vice President – Stephanie Cleveland
Secretary – Michelle Norris
Treasurer – Linda Nixon
Communications Director – Michelle Connally
Community Engagement Director – Marla Layne
New Class Director – Lisa Travis
Membership Director – Paulette Platko
VHAT Director – Heather Fell
Class Representative – Katie Potter
Immediate Past President – Mike Roome
State Representative – Dave Powell

How did we do in 2023?

• Resurrected the Stream Team! for more information – vickis@bptmn.org
• Awarded several grants to chapter projects via our grant program
• Entering 2024 with record high 279 Active/In-Training Members
• Record high of 27K+ Volunteer Service Hours
• Record high 3.5K+ Advanced Training Hours
• Monthly Meetings exceeded 100+ in attendance all 12 months.

Membership Report

December Re-certifications

• Scott Aldrich
• Bryan Beck
• Sam Crowe
• Christina Lane
• Daphne Lynch
• Stephanie Bouillion Mayer
• Catherine Mitchell
• Patrick Patterson
• Tasha Patterson
• Amy Perdreauville
• Mike Roome
• Lisa Runyon
• Karin Saucedo
• Patricia Tuck
• Chris Ulch
• Nick Ward

Milestone Achievement

4000 Service Hours – Karen Spalding-Wright

Class of 2023 Initial Certification – November

• Susan Brummet
• Nicole Cudlipp
• Daniel Miranda
• Ethan Pilarski

Field Badges available for order

Made by Member Scott Aldrich for $3 each, or 2 for $5
2 Styles: With a Magnet or PIN or with a Horizontal or Vertical Slot for Lanyard.
Order and Pay NOW and receive your field badges at the next meeting, or have someone pick them up.
Direct Link – https://txmn.org/bptmn/field-badge-order-form/
The Field Badge Order Form is available on the Members Page –
https://txmn.org/bptmn/member-resources/members/

From the desk of the Membership Director – Paulette Platko

Be sure to enter your Volunteer Service or Advanced Training Hours in 2023!
You have 45 days from the time of service or training to enter your hours, even when we cross into the new year. For more information – https://txmn.org/bptmn/vhat/

From the desk of the Treasurer – Linda Nixon

Chapter dues now until February 13 Chapter Meeting are $25.
After February 13 Chapter Meeting, dues will be $30.
Members that have not paid by the March 12 meeting will be marked inactive and unable to enter hours.
Active status will be reinstated upon payment.
There are 3 ways to Pay:

• At meetings – cash or check made out to BPTMN – be sure you get a receipt.
• Via U.S. Postal Mail to
  BPTMN Treasurer
  825 N. McDonald, Suite 150
  McKinney, TX 750369
  (Postmarked date must be on or before dates listed above)
• Via Paypal, link on https://txmn.org/bptmn/ (top right side, $1.50 processing fee included)

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Advanced Training Recordings

If you missed any of our recent chapter business meetings/AT presentations, the recordings are available online!  
https://vimeo.com/channels/bptmn

January 9, 2024 – Chapter Meeting

2024 January Class of 2023 TMN “Ted Talks”
Katie Potter, presenting “The Power of Paleontology” –
– Katie created a downloadable PDF “A crash course on Fossil Hunting”
– Interested in a NO VH or AT approved Fossil Hunting event? just for fun! Click Here
Imelda Everett, presenting “Medicinal Plants of Texas”
Christina Anderson, presenting “Something to CROW About”
– Want to find out more about Crows? Email Anyanfei1@gmail.com
Linda Barnes, presenting “Fritillary Butterflies: How I Found Joy in  the Midst of Grief”
Ren Dowhaniuk, presenting “Highlights of the 2023 Training Experience”

Membership Directory Updated

Go to the Password Protected Members Area and scroll down to view the directory.
Direct Link – https://txmn.org/bptmn/member-resources/members-area/

New Chapter Website Posts from
Current News & Shaking the Trees

Food Instincts of the Orange-crowned Warbler by Balaji Devarajan