Friends Of Burlington Island

LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS FROM BURLINGTON CITY, BRISTOL BOROUGH, AND BEYOND WORKED WITH DECISION-MAKERS AND LIKE-MINDED GROUPS DURING 2023. FOBI WORKED CLOSELY WITH A TEMPLE UNIVERSITY STUDENT TO EARN HER MASTERS BY CREATING A COMPLETE OVERVIEW OF THE VALUE THAT BURLINGTON ISLAND OFFERS THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND BOTH NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA AS A DESTINATION RESOURCE, AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITY, RECREATION AND SPIRITUAL RETREAT, AND OPEN SPACE. COPIES OF "BURLINGTON ISLAND REBORN: DESIGNING FOR SUSTAINABLE USE & CLIMATE RESILIENCY", THE OUTCOME OF THIS CAPSTONE PROJECT HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH LEGISLATORS AND INFLUENCERS AND LOCAL SCHOOLS FOR THEIR LIBRARIES AND TO FRIENDS AND CIVIC GROUPS WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM UNDERSTANDING THE ISLAND. THIS CONCEPTUAL REPORT PROVIDES THE BASICS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INCLUDING WATER TESTING, FLORAL, BIRD SPECIES, AND ANIMAL ACTIVITY ON THE ISLAND. MEMBERSHIP EXPANSION NECESSITATED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SOFTWARE TO PROPERLY MANAGE THE ORGANIZATION'S GROWTH. ALL MEMBERSHIP ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY TRANSFERRED TO THIS PROGRAM. WE ARE STILL LEARNING THE MANY BENEFITS OF THE SOFTWARE INCLUDING CAPACITY BUILDING. FOBI WORKED JOINTLY WITH THE BOARD OF ISLAND MANAGERS TO HELP AN EAGLE SCOUT CANDIDATE MANAGE AND COMPLETE HIS PROJECT OF ERECTING TRAILHEAD DIRECTIONAL MARKERS. TOGETHER WITH THE BOARD OF ISLAND MANAGERS PRESIDENT FOBI TOOK THE EAGLE SCOUT, THE 11-MEMBER SCOUT TEAM WHO HELPED ERECT THESE TRAIL MARKERS, AND 600 LBS. OF CEMENT AND POLES TO THE ISLAND IN JUNE. THE SCOUTS INSTALLED FIVE POSTS ON THE FIRST TRIP. THEY NEEDED ANOTHER TWO MORE VISITS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT WHEREUPON THIS INDIVIDUAL RECEIVED HIS EAGLE SCOUT DESIGNATION. FOBI PROVIDED FORMAL PRESENTATIONS TO EIGHT CIVIC AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY GROUPS. EACH PRESENTATION IS WRAPPED UP WITH INSIGHTS INTO CURRENT EVENTS. FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE ISLAND HAS PLAYED A ROLE IN RECORDED HISTORY, FOBI ATTENDED TWELVE ADDITIONAL EVENTS WHERE INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS WERE PROVIDED AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ISLAND WAS SHARED IN BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ, AND BRISTOL BOROUGH, PA. SOME SPECIFIC EVENTS WERE THE BURLINGTON COUNTY FARM FAIR, THE WOOD STREET FAIR, HISTORIC BRISTOL DAY, AND THE BURLINGTON COUNTY MAY FAIRE. FOBI VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN 20 ISLAND CLEANUP EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, WHICH RUNS FROM APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER. OTHER GROUPS LIKE THE RED DRAGON CANOE CLUB AND SPEARHEAD PROJECT EARTH, FOCUS ON THE SOUTHERN SHORELINE AS FOBI FOCUSED ON THE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT NORTH SIDE, UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BOARD OF ISLAND MANAGERS. EACH CLEANUP AVERAGED MORE THAN 16 BAGS (33-GALLON) OF PLASTIC BOTTLES, GLASS, CANS, AND GENERAL DEBRIS ALONG WITH SEVERAL TIRES, A KITCHEN SINK, AND TWO OR THREE 55-GALLON DRUMS. MOST OF THE CLEANUP EVENTS INVOLVED A DOZEN PEOPLE OR SO, BUT SEVERAL WERE MUCH LARGER. IN AUGUST, "SERVICE WITH SENATOR TROY SINGLETON" BROUGHT OVER HIS GROUP OF 45 VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING THOSE FROM THE AMAZON WAREHOUSE ACROSS THE BACK CHANNEL. ALSO IN AUGUST, MEMBERS OF THE GISELLA GUILD, PHILADELPHIA'S SHIP PRESERVATION GROUP, CAME TO THE ISLAND. THE DELAWARE RIVER YACHT LEAGUE (DRYL) ALSO CAME FOR A TOUR. THE DRYL IS MADE UP OF 130 YACHT CLUBS. FOBI PHOTOGRAPHED ALL THE REMAINING METAL DEBRIS FROM THE CABINS THAT WERE REMOVED 45 YEARS AGO AND TOOK THOSE PHOTOS TO ALLIED RECYCLING. THEY ESTIMATED THAT THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45-50,000 POUNDS OF METAL REMAINING ON THE ISLAND - ALL ON THE NORTH SIDE. WE PRESENTED THIS INFORMATION TO THE BOARD OF ISLAND MANAGERS AND THEY AGREED TO COLLABORATE ON A PLAN TO MOVE THESE MATERIALS, WHICH CONTINUE TO LEACH CHEMICALS INTO THE GROUND, OFF THE ISLAND. WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH DOANE ACADEMY TO ASSIST IN DEVELOPING STEM EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. IN ADDITION, THE BRISTOL BOROUGH TEEN FOUNDATION, AND THE O LEAGUE, AND 32 GIRL SCOUTS COURTESY OF A GRANT FROM THE SOCIETY OF WOMEN ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONALS (SWEP) WERE TAUGHT BOAT SAFETY, TIDE CURRENTS, AND HOW TO PADDLE BEFORE BEING TAKEN TO THE ISLAND FOR WATER TESTING, IDENTIFYING PLANTS AND ANIMALS LIVING ON THE ISLAND, ETC. THE INITIAL PROGRAM FOCUS WAS ON TEACHING WHERE TRASH, LITTERED IN THE STREET IN A RIVER TOWN, GOES TO ESTABLISH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF ITS FINAL DESTINATION WHICH IS, OF COURSE, THE RIVER AND BY PROXY THE ISLAND AND SHORELINES. IN JUNE FOBI CO-HOSTED, WITH THE BOARD OF ISLAND MANAGERS THE PLANTING OF THE LAST DAUGHTER OF THE SALEM OAK THAT DIED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. IT IS AN HONOR TO HAVE THIS SACRED TREE PLANTED ON THE ISLAND. FOUR BURLINGTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ATTENDED ALONG WITH ONE EMPLOYEE, TWO FORESTRY SERVICE PERSONNEL, AND MANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES. WE ADVISED THE COMMISSIONERS ON THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDING THE ISLAND TO THE COUNTY PARK SYSTEM. TRAIL MAINTENANCE IS AN ONGOING REQUIREMENT. IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, FOBI HAS CUT SEVERAL MILES OF ADDITIONAL TRAILS AROUND THE ISLAND AND WE HAVE MORE CAPABILITY TO MANAGE THE TRAIL MAINTENANCE. ONLY TWO EMPLOYEES OF THE BOARD OF ISLAND MANAGERS WORK ON THE ISLAND AND THEY NEED ASSISTANCE TO DO THE WORK. FOBI VOLUNTEERS HELPED TO TRANSPORT DONATED TRAIL MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT AND GASOLINE USING PRIVATELY OWNED WATERCRAFT. IN SEPTEMBER, FOBI WAS GRANTED $250 FOR TRAIL MAINTENANCE BY EXTREME TERRAIN. FOBI ENGAGED A LOCAL BRISTOL BOROUGH RESIDENT TO BUILD A COMPOSTING TOILET/OUT HOUSE, COMPLETE WITH SOLAR FAN AND LIGHTING. IT IS DUE TO BE DELIVERED TO LOT 1 OF THE ISLAND IN 2024. OCTOBER WAS A BUSY MONTH WRAPPING UP THE YEAR BY PULLING THE DONATED MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT OFF THE ISLAND, TAKING BOATS OUT OF THE WATER FOR THE WINTER, AND OUR FINAL OUTDOOR PRESENTATION OPPORTUNITY AT HISTORIC BRISTOL DAY IN BRISTOL BOROUGH. AFTER HISTORIC BRISTOL DAY FOBI HAD ITS FIRST FUNDRAISER AT A HOME OVERLOOKING THE RIVER ON RADCLIFFE STREET. FUNDS RAISED WILL BE PUT TOWARDS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING NEXT YEAR. AT THE START OF THE 2023-24 BURLINGTON CITY SCHOOL YEAR, A FOBI REPRESENTATIVE MET WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DISCUSS DEVELOPING A PRIVATE FUND THAT WOULD FOCUS ON 8TH-GRADE STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES ON THE ISLAND. SINCE THAT TIME THIS FUND HAS COME TO FRUITION. IN ADDITION, A COPY OF THE CAPSTONE PROJECT RESOURCE BOOK WAS HANDED OUT TO VARIOUS BOE MEMBERS TO REVIEW THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION. IF THE BOOKS ARE ACCEPTED, THEY WILL BE PERMANENTLY PLACED IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND MADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AND FACULTY. THE EARLIER MENTIONED SWEP EDUCATIONAL EVENT WAS CONDUCTED ON OCTOBER 14 AND 15 FOR 32 SCOUTS AND SEVERAL PARENTS, DEVELOPING KAYAKING AND WATER SAFETY SKILLS AT FALLS TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY PARK AND PUTTING THEM TO GOOD USE ON THE RIVER THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE SCOUTS HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AND AS WITH ALL THE STUDENTS INVOLVED WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THEY GOT OVER THEIR FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN AND EMBRACED THEIR NEW SKILLS. TWO FOBI COMMITTEE MEMBERS REPRESENTED FOBI AT THE SWEP GALA EVENT IN PHILADELPHIA ON NOVEMBER 2. FOBI WAS INVITED TO REAPPLY IN 2024 FOR THE SAME GRANT OPPORTUNITY. DOANE ACADEMY HOSTED A SERVICE FAIR IN NOVEMBER AND INVITED FOBI TO SHARE WITH THE STUDENT BODY WHY IT IS THAT WE VOLUNTEER. THREE FOBI COMMITTEE MEMBERS SHARED THE VALUE OF VOLUNTEERISM TO MORE THAN 100 STUDENTS. FOBI AND BOARD OF ISLAND MANAGERS ENTERED A FLOAT IN THE BURLINGTON CITY HOLIDAY PARADE ON DECEMBER 2.THE FOBI PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP IN BRINGING THE ISLAND BACK TO THE PEOPLE, BRISTOL BOROUGH'S ACADEMIC OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (AOC) NAMED HIM THE 2023 BRISTOL FALL CLASSIC PERSON OF THE YEAR.