Tuesday, May 19, 2009

No business like 'sow' business

by Jocelyn Gretz, Community Programs Manager

If you've ever been to Yosemite around this time of year, you would know that Yosemite Falls is in full force – much like the surge of requests for corporate group programs I have been receiving lately. Every spring things pick up, as if workers around the Bay Area are coming out of cubicle hibernation and are craving an outdoor team-building experience.

The corporations that have recently come out with us or are scheduled to come out in the next few weeks include: Sun Microsystems, Roche, Trulia, SAP, Charles Schwab, Polycom, Life Technologies, Cupertino Electric, Robert Half International, Hewlett Packard, Cisco, Delloitte, Codexis, Maxygen, VM Ware and NBC. Whew!



Adult volunteers play an important role in our Community-based Restoration programs. They quickly learn plant identification skills that allow them to work in our most sensitive habitats, acting as sleuths to find and remove invasive weeds amongst recently planted seedlings. These volunteers also provide critical manpower in the delicate tasks of seed collection, sowing seeds and rooting plant cuttings for future seedlings in our two native plant nurseries.



In addition to helping restore vital habitats, many of these businesses also make a donation to Save The Bay, acknowledging that providing team-building volunteer programs takes professional coordination, experienced field staff and adequate equipment to make the projects run smoothly. These donations help us offset some of these costs, but also allow us to continue to offer free programs to school and community groups that do not have funding. Save The Bay sincerely appreciates both the time and support these businesses have given our programs!

Roughly 100 corporations and community groups come out with Save The Bay each year. We hope you will join us - during any season - and the long list of Bay Area businesses that make our Community-based Restoration programs a success.

Learn more at www.saveSFbay.org/community.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an excellent alternative to a work retreat in, say, the Napa Valley bonding over cheese and wine. Although many adults are "aware" of environmental restoration and preservation, I like this outlet as means to refresh their memories. Hopefully they take the lessons they learn home to their families!

Ariel Rivers
Bay Area Resident

www.arielrivers.com

Allen said...

I chanced upon to view your blog and found it very interesting. Great ... Keep it up!