Larry Calvert, our new Chapter President, was in the Class of 2006 and has served as Treasurer for several years.

Once again I thank you for the opportunity to serve as your HCMN President for 2012. I am really looking forward to working with more of you in the coming year. The Chapter has been humming along growing in projects and in membership. I would like to see us continue to have an impact on Hays County and the people in it.

I hope your experience of becoming a Master Naturalist has been as positive as mine. I see the world in a different way because of the Master Naturalist training classes, our projects and

the continuing education. Sometimes I am amazed at the breadth of topics and shift in perspective that this continuing education has produced. It is this perspective that I would like for us to find better ways to share with our friends and with our various community groups.

At the Social in August, we conducted a survey to gather your ideas about projects, changes that might improve the organization, and anything else on the minds of members. We were excited to see how many good suggestions the survey generated. The Board will be working hard to see how much of your thinking we can put into action. I'd appreciate your continued input -- things we may have missed or shifts in priorities that you think are important. Also please give some thought to how you might become more active in the Master Naturalist program this year and how we might better involve others.

Looking ahead to 2012 here are some of the things I think we need to do. We need to expand our outreach. We were limited somewhat in 2011 because we did not have a committee chair to take point on outreach activities. However, Leah Laszewski has agreed to lead this committee for 2012. Even with that limitation in 2011, we did some important new and continuing outreach.

As the outreach plans for 2012 unfold, again, please find a place that you might enjoy contributing. In addition to the work of our 2012 outreach committee, I would like to see each of us make the most of opportunities to educate the community about what we do and who we are. Just being openly proud of your title as a Master Naturalist and sharing who we are and what we are doing is one way to let people know about us and, maybe even, get them seeing the world a little differently.

I also would like to find a way to significantly increase the attendance at each Chapter meeting. For me, the Chapter meetings are particularly enjoyable, both for the education and the social interaction. I always find something that piques my interest and suggests new actions; and I enjoy hanging out with new and old friends (and younger ones too).

Vice president Anne Child is already at work identifying Chapter meeting topics and presenters. We are reviewing your survey suggestions for ideas on meetings and increasing attendance but are open to any other ideas you may have. Your commitment to attend Chapter meetings is also important – we want you there!

I am sure there are many other things we need to be doing in 2012 but most of all we need to do those things that keep you wanting to be involved and so very proud of what we stand for and what we are doing as Master Naturalists. I look forward to seeing you at the January 26th Chapter meeting.

- Larry Calvert