Visit the Christmas Bird Count Page for a full summery of the count submitted by Art and Barb Straub.

Cash & In-Kind Donations
• Warren Wolf – annual NEEF audit
• GiveMN.org donors – Earl & Anita Gransee, John Heitkamp, Sharon Pinney, Danielle Buesgens, Reta Lind, Lois & Ken Ahntholz, Carolyn Heitkamp, Dick Peterson, Ethel Beuch, Sally Olson, Elaine Tohal, Tiffany Reinitz, Carol & Tom Jackson, & three anonymous donors
• Janet Straub – in honor of Michelle Burns
• Jayson Rabaey Family
• Ann Hobbs Family
• Toody’s Sweet Treats, Henderson, & especially Barb Nytes for the space & refreshments for our annual meeting
• Fall Festival desserts – Board members
• Emma Krumbee’s – pumpkins for Fall Festival
• Orville Heitkamp – Fall Festival door prizes

Programs & Volunteers
• 2010 Christmas Bird Count volunteers, especially Art & Barb Straub for their organization & leadership
• Fall Festival volunteers – NEEF Board members & staff, Jennifer Heitkamp (cornhusk dolls), TREES group
• Jeremy Bosacker – Eagle Scout project, trimming trails, stripping & repainting Ney summer kitchen
• Le Sueur County Snowmobile Trails Association & Chuck Retka – grooming X-country ski trails

Cash Donations
South West Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation – $250 in honor of Orville Heitkamp as their 2010 Good Gobbler Award recipient

Programs & Volunteers
Jim Legg – planting food plot
Robert Kahle – spraying food plot

Thank you!

In the early 1990′s a group of individuals interested in environmental education and learning gathered in Henderson. Their goal: to develop an environmental learning center from a farm donated to Le Sueur County. In her will, Ruby Ney had bequeathed her family’s farm to Le Sueur County with the stipulation it be used “solely for the purpose of a wildlife preserve”. This group eventually evolved into the Ney Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). Among those early Ney volunteers was Joe Doherty.

Joe was a newly-elected Le Sueur County Commissioner whose district included the Ney property. In addition, Joe had an interest in both nature and conservation in the county. These two factors combined to lead to his active involvement as a Ney volunteer and Board member for more than 10 years.

In the early years, Joe oversaw the design and construction of the Ney Education Building. The group had successfully lobbied the legislature for the funds to erect a building for learning on the property. Joe and fellow commissioner, Clancy Mager, worked to determine the site, design the building layout, and get the building completed. The structure was finished in the late 1990′s.

One major project undertaken by early Ney volunteers was to plant over 90 acres of trees on the property and Joe was involved in the restoration of the land to its native state. A few seedlings were planted, but primarily the planting was done by scattering seeds. Joe turned it into a family affair, with wife Ellie, and son Mike helping to seed.

Joe also served on the NEEF Board for 10 years. In his role he helped provide guidance and direction to the future of the foundation. He stepped down only because he recognized the eager and enthusiastic new volunteers whom he felt could provide new energy and ideas to the Board.

Besides being a Le Sueur County Commissioner, Joe operates his family’s farm in Tyrone Township, near St. Thomas. He lives on the farm with his wife of nearly 40 years, Ellie. His son Mike lives on the farm, as does his daughter Brigid, her husband, and family.

On a clear sunny, summer morning or a peaceful summer night, visitors to the Ney may notice a small orange and yellow airplane doing lazy circles around the Ney. That would be Joe flying his 1946 Aeronca Champ. The Champ was originally purchased by Joe’s father George who took off and landed from a field road on the farm. The Champ fell into disrepair over the years. In 2000, Joe and Mike began to painstakingly restore the old airplane. By 2006, it finally flew again!

Joe remains passionate about the Ney Nature Center. Although he is no longer a Board member, he is committed to the goal of having a place to appreciate nature in Le Sueur County. He is a fearless advocate of the mission of the Ney Nature Center. When questioned about what he would like for the future of the Ney, Joe said he wants a place for people to bring their children to enjoy and observe nature for years to come. He can look to his own family for one small measure of success. His granddaughters are frequent visitors to the Ney, participating in programs and day-camps. They have learned and experienced nature at the Ney and continue to do so!

Cash Donations
Barb Schmidt – in memory of her husband, John
Henderson United Way
Janet Straub – in honor of Michelle Burns
Michelle & Shane Bridges
Paul Reinitz – towards Log Cabin Fund

Programs & Volunteers
2009 Christmas Bird Count volunteers, especially Art & Barb Straub for their organization & leadership
Cindy Sparrow – Local Expert Valentine’s Day program
Josh & Sally Reinitz – Garden planning program
Earl Gransee – Local Expert bluebird program
Ollie Heitkamp & Karl Keup – Local Expert wood carving program
Beth Beuch – Local Expert bird identification program
All the volunteers who opened the education building for January & February open houses

Grants
Le Sueur County – $10,000
Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative Operation Round Up – $1,700 towards a new computer

Better known as “Ollie” to his friends, family and fellow volunteers at the Ney Nature Center (NNC), Orville Heitkamp has been volunteering since August 1995 when he attended the organizational meeting of what was to become the Ney Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). And, he hasn’t looked back since.

Ollie is a retired 9-12 teacher from the Belle Plaine high school, having taught physics, chemistry and biology. Born and raised in the area, he attended grade school in Carver and Scott Counties and graduated from Belle Plaine High School and the College of St Thomas with a four-year degree in botany. His family has lived in the Belle Plaine area, both on farms and in the city of Belle Plaine, for over 100 years. Following a tour of duty in the U.S. Army stationed in Korea, he came back to advance his college degree by studying zoology at the University of Minnesota and education at Mankato State University. He’s proud to say that he was a high school and college classmate of another NNC volunteer, Fred Keup.

A lifelong outdoors enthusiast, his early interest was sparked by books he read in high school by authors Stewart Edward White and Ernest Thompson Seton. His background and interest also came from working for the DNR as a wildlife biologist for 10 summers. Covering the state of Minnesota he conducted biological investigations of various interest to the DNR and especially got to know and understand the geography of Minnesota. With his cousin he made his first totally inclusive investigation of Swan Lake at Nicollet.

Ollie’s family includes his wife, Luella, three daughters and one son, 6 grandsons and one granddaughter. His youngest grandson who is very interested in nature, spends a lot of time with him at the NNC.

When Ollie isn’t volunteering at the NNC he is very involved in several other activities. He still participates in boys and girls basketball and volleyball scoring at the Belle Plaine High School, has hunted since he was a teenager, and is an avid crossword puzzler. He “enjoyed photography until digital came along,” he says. Ollie and Luella have also done some traveling in the U.S. and Europe.

Let’s not forget that Ollie is also an outstanding wood carver. His grandfather was a blacksmith and his Dad an amateur wood worker. Ollie says he was “always interested in it” and has crafted cabinets, furniture, unique items and individual pieces and custom woodworking.

For 30 years he has honed his word working craft, first doing it as a hobby for himself and then it grew into donations to environmental and charitable groups. He’s mainly crafted birds but if anyone has attended our NNC Spring Fling they’ve seen and perhaps been the lucky recipient of the outstanding 3’ high by 4’ long oak rocking horse or the cedar chest he has donated to the raffle. This year look for two oak rocking horses, a cedar chest, deacon’s bench, a pair of snack tables, two bird carvings (oriole and red-headed woodpecker) and two cutting boards.

Ollie’s hopes and dreams for the NNC? As a true educator, he would like to see us reach more people to learn and experience nature and become interested in our cause.

Congratulations to Ollie who is being recognized by the South Metro Chapter of the Wild Turkey Foundation. At his request, their donation in his honor will be given to the NEEF.

Still going strong at 78 years, how can we ever say “Thank You” to this quiet, unassuming hard working, gentleman volunteer we just call “Ollie?” Thank you, Ollie, thank you!

Ollie’s volunteer activities at the NNC the past 15 years include:
• Cleaned up original site;
• Founding member of Board and continuous service since;
• Construction of overlooks and fire ring;
• Assisted with restoration of Ney log house;
• Helped plan the wall mural and history wall in education building;
• Donated and installed screen and art railings and corner cabinet in education building;
• Helped in tree-forest restoration plantings;
• Year-round “official” bird feeder;
• Installed wind and rain gauge for weather station system on roof;
• Helped install five miles of boundary signs;
• Presents programs to school and adult groups.

Thank you to Fred Keup who is going off the NEEF Board of Directors at the completion of his term the end of 2009.

Recruited by long-time Board member Orville Heitkamp about four years ago, Fred also served the past two years on the Executive Committee as treasurer. He described his experience as – great and enjoyable – and sees so many good things on the horizon for the Ney Center with almost 500 acres of land and lots of potential.

During his tenure on the Board, Becky was hired as a part-time staff person and he feels that the Ney Center is becoming a first class operation. He especially credits Becky with doing an exceptional job with programming and promotion of the Ney Center’s activities. He feels we need to continue to find ways to finance our programs and paid staff and to promote membership, especially the new categories of business memberships.

Fred, a quiet, unassuming businessman from Belle Plaine, is involved in – a lot of other things – and wants to continue to be involved in some of the NNC projects. We appreciate Fred’s wise leadership and will miss his experience on the Board.