by Jan Mees, CoMoGives Committee

2021 marked Year 7 of participation by CAS!

Thank you CoMoGives donors!

Thanks to the generosity of 115 donors, CAS will add approximately $11,000 to our treasury.  CAS was also awarded a Challenge Grant from CoMoGives in the amount of $500 for raising the second highest amount among organizations with an operating budget of $25,000 or less.  The funds from CoMoGives 2021 will be used to continue the CAS programs that support education (field trips for students, scholarships for teachers and support of the Boone County Nature School,) conservation efforts (prairie restoration and expansion at Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary,) environmental projects (invasive species removal at Columbia Audubon Wild Haven) and research and citizen science efforts (migratory and Christmas bird counts, big sits, Motus tower)

148 community nonprofit organizations participated in CMG and CAS ranked 57^th overall for donations.  2021 was the 7^th year CAS participated in CMG. Our goal for this year’s campaign was $10,000.  Thanks to our donors we surpassed that goal! And our number of individual donors increased from 108 to 115.

We may be a small flock but we soar high in our efforts to fulfill the mission of Columbia Audubon Society!

Thanks to the 2021 CMG committee:  Nancy Bedan, Lori Hagglund, Bill Mees, Jan Mees (chair) Doug Miller with special assistance from Lottie Bushmann, Jim Gast

Please consider volunteering to chair the 2022 CoMoGives Committee!  This is the one and only “fundraiser” for CAS and is critical to our continued success.

Funds raised in 2021:

$11,007: CAS ranked 55th out of 148 organizations

• 2020: 109 donors; $12,350 (40/142 organizations)
• 2019: 97 donors – $10,028

Number of donors:  115

Average donation:  $95

• 42 new donors; 46 did not give that donated in 2020
• All donors over age 35
• 6 donors from out-of-state

Donations in honor/memory of:

John Besser and family; Katie Walthall; Eleanor Stansby; Ruth Michel White; Bill Mees; Roxie Campbell; Robert Brown; Bill and Jan Mees; Lakeshore Estates Neighborhood; Diana Privitt; Nancy Bedan (2); Carolyn Terry (5); Ryan McNeil

Expenses: $973.88

• Entry fee $350
• Postcard printing $165.40
• Postage (for postcards & thank you notes) $388.70
• Notecard printing $56.80
• Notecard envelopes $12.98

2021 CMG Committee members:  Nancy Bedan, Lori Hagglund, Bill Mees, Jan Mees, Doug Miller + Lottie Bushmann