I work at least weekly with the Friends of South Slough. Without FOSS, many of the education programs I lead would not be possible. FOSS provides materials and funding for a variety of environmental education experiences from 1 hour toddler programs to 4 day summer camps to paddle programs. FOSS recently donated an 8 passenger canoe to the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, which will give the opportunity for a much wider audience to experience South Slough by water.
It is my understanding that the Friends of South Slough Reserve (FOSS) was first created to provide a bookstore which supplied material for visitors which related to the purpose of the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, the very first National Estuarine Research Reserve in the nation. This bookstore has grown to be a centerpiece in the Reserve’s Interpretive Center, an invaluable asset. In later years FOSS has been quite involved in fund raising, the major objective being to provide required non-federal matching funds for grants the Reserve has received from NOAA. These efforts have made possible a number of major Reserve projects including the addition of an auditorium and classroom to the Interpretive Center, new exhibits in the Interpretive Center and an aluminum pedestrian bridge across a water arm of the estuary proper which now links pathways at the water’s and thus provides a loop pathway to and from the Interpretive Center. Most recently FOSS has raised funds to support the construction of an aquarium in the entry hall of the Interpretive Center.
I am a life member of FOSS which is an all-volunteer nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization. I am a past president and treasurer and am currently webmaster of the FOSS web site. I also maintain a FOSS presence on FaceBook. FOSS members, as volunteers, support a number of the Reserve’s activities and projects along with non-member volunteers.
As the Reserve’s purpose is to support the preservation and understanding of the environment FOSS performs a very significant service for the environs locally and worldwide.
Review from Guidestar
I am a life member of the Friends of South Slough... I have been a member of the board since the organization was formed in 1988. Our group is an all volunteer organization that has done a whole variety of projects over the years. All the the projects are aimed at supporting the the South Slough National Estuarine Resarch Reserve goal to improve the understanding of estuaries and coastal watersheds... Estuaries are important places that form where a river meets the sea. Estuaries are important place for people and other living things.
The Friends of South Slough have helped to publish a book about the history of the South Slough and have raised funds to support the expansion of the visitor's center and to create exhibits about estuaries. Our group also runs a book store at the visitor's center that sells great books and sundries that encourage people to enjoy the out of doors and the world we live in.
ONe of the fun current projects of the Friends of South Slough (FOSS) is called "FOSS Floats" Two months ago our group did research into big canoes that ended in our group purchasing a really beautiful 23 foot long, 8 passenger canoe that we donated to the education program at the Reserve. This will enable the staff to lead tours on the estuary for people who don't have a canoe or kayak! The staff is really excited about the FOSS Floats project. Our next step will be to create a floating structure that looks like one of the original "float houses" that people lived in durnig the 1930's. we plan to create the floating structure so we can take educational programs about estuaries to other locations such as the boardwalks in the downtown waterfront districts of the nearby communities of Coos Bay and North Bend. This will be really fun and will really help the Reserve!
Review from Guidestar