Looking Back: 100 Years Potluck and Annual Meeting

Tuesday, September 9 was the annual meeting of the Friends of Briar Bush. Prior to the business meeting portion of the evening, friends old and new shared a potluck dinner together at Briar Bush. To help celebrate our one hundred years of history, David Rowland of the Old York Road Historical Society presented a brief history of the Abington Township area back to when it was mostly farmland, and brought photos. Dr. Leigh Altadonna, Assistant Superintendant of Abington Schools and FOBB Board Member, grew up visiting Florence Griscom with his sister and recounted the days spent learning about birds, nature and life from Mrs. Griscom. He gave the audience insight of what was happening from the 1950s through 1975. Dede Long, Executive Director of BBNC, picked up from there and carried us into today and even a peek at the future. Next year, Briar Bush will be creating another 5-year strategic plan, which will be an important guiding tool in our future, as Long is retiring in 2010 after 30+ years with the Center. The evening ended with the business meeting of the Friends of Briar Bush. This year, four members will be leaving the Board of Directors after fulfilling their terms, and a fifth has resigned after being called into active duty in the United States Army. Members who have completed six years of Board service must remain off the Board for one year before returning. All staff members gave a brief summary of the activities that have been filling their days since last year's meeting.