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2020 Programs & Events

For the past 29 years, Friends of Cream-

er’s Field has offered education programs

that focus on the ecology of the refuge and

the history of Creamer’s Dairy.

In 2020, the Alaska Department of Fish &

Game (ADFG) closed the Farmhouse Visi-

tor Center and cancelled all in-person

programs at Creamer’s Field due to

COVID-19. We anticipate the closure to

remain in effect until local COVID-19 cas-

es have been reduced to acceptable levels.

The trails at Creamer’s Field are OPEN

and usage by locals is higher than ever.

This has required our staff to transition

from offering interpretive education pro-

grams in-person to an online format. We

are working to make sure those who visit

Creamer’s Field continue to have access to

educational resources that add value to

their self-guided experience. Our new

online interpretive resources include a vir-

tual walking tour of the Boreal Forest Trail

and virtual program that shares the story of

the Creamer family and the historic dairy

complex.

We are the Friends of Creamer’s Field

Friends of Creamer’s Field is a nonprofit organization founded in 1991 to promote awareness, under-

standing, appreciation and conservation of the natural and human history of Creamer’s Field Migratory

Waterfowl Refuge. We provide a venue for community involvement through educational programs, an-

nual events, and interpretive nature walks. Friends of Creamer’s Field operates a visitor center out of

the original Creamer family farmhouse (circa 1908), which features interpretive exhibits on migratory

birds and the historic Creamer’s Dairy complex. In addition to a full schedule of year-round programs,

we serve as the fiscal sponsor for Camp Habitat, a summer day camp that operates during the months of

June and July. The majority of our programs (with the exception of Camp Habitat) are free or donation-

based and available to the general public.

(Above) Locals enjoy winter recreation opportunities

at Creamer’s Field. The use of “fat bikes” has increased

exponentially in recent years and is one of the largest

user groups on winter trails. (Below) A Black-capped

Chickadee perches on a bird feeder made from recy-

cled materials by Programs & Events Coordinator

Melanie Graeff.

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Financial Position

In 2020, COVID-19 restrictions resulted in ADFG canceling all in-person programs and

closing the Farmhouse Visitor Center. We reported a significant reduction in both income

and expenses from the cancellation of all in-person programs and closure of the Farm-

house Visitor Center. We received PPP funding to assist with payroll, which has allowed

us to remain fully staffed during this time of uncertainty. In spite of the closures and can-

cellations we have maintained a balanced budget and the financial position of Friends of

Creamer’s Field remains strong.

Lissa Hughes, Executive Director

Congratulations Raffle Prize Winners!

Lynn Goepfert– 2 Alaska Airlines tickets

Lindsie Leffel– Alaska Dream Adventures Kayak

Nellie Ballou– Arctic Circle Trip for 2

Janet Daley– 300 Gallons of Heating Fuel

Executive Director Lissa Hughes accepts

a donation from the staff at Co-op Mar-

ket Grocery & Deli for the 2020 Lend-a-

Hand program.

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Thank You Friends for Your Support!

Sandhill Crane ($1,000 or more)

George Happ & Christy Yuncker Happ Marvin & Becky Hassebroek Gail Mayo Sonia Mazurek & John Hagey Jerry Lipka & Janet

Schichnes Richard Seifert Stacey Studebaker Ellen Weiser & David Weissman Marion G. Weeks Foundation

Swan ($500-999) Susan Campbell Jeff & Christol Creamer Doug & Susie Crevensten Craig & Cynthia Dorman Fairbanks Optimist Club

John & Becky Faunce Malcolm & Kathleen

Goepfert -In Memory of David L. McCaleb

Mary Johnson Russell Konicki

Barbara & David Murray Michael Salzman Ruth & Dan Thomson Teresa Tomczak Anne & Dave Vick

Peregrine Falcon ($250-499)

Alaska Fuel Distributors Alaska Petroleum

Distributors Arctic Audubon Society Carl & Ruth Benson Peter Bowers Charlotte & Charlie Bird Charles & Geraldine Collins Melissa Chapin Arva Chiu Crowley Fuels Lenore Farmsworth Fenicks & Company, LLC. Patricia Degen Mark Hodge & Anne Demuth Frances & Mark Jurek Ruth Kramer Sherry Lewis Don & Carol Lokken

Bud & Jamie Marschner Jan & Stan Mishin Dave & Carol Norton Millie Peek Ron & Dorothy Rasmussen Anne Ruggles & Don

Hampton Frances Schulz Lynn Slusher Stephen Smith Gerda Sylvie Ron & Mary Teel Mary Zalar & Ken Whitten Jack & Carol Wilbur William & Carolyn Wuttke

Wigeon ($100-249) Kroger-Fred Meyer Community Rewards Ken Alt Cori Anthony Christopher Arp James & Cassie Atwell Christopher Baird Karen C. Baker Littie Ballard Nellie Ballou

Alden & Liam Barry Maria Berger Marilyn Biagi Richard & Mary Bishop James Brader Karen & Achim Brauser Randall Compton Elizabeth Cook Anthea Mary Craven Ann Cunningham Jittinee Cysewski Sandra Dauenhauer John Davies & Linda

Schandelmeier Lori Davis Barbara Day & James Dixon Pat Degan Kathy Dudek Ruth McHenry & Cliff Eames Nicole Eiseman Kay Evans Melody Feniks Mary Fenno Kristine Fister Peter & Rena Flint Samuel Friedman Amy Fueling

Sandhill Crane ($1,000 or more)

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Julie Ginder Terry Glendinning J. Scott Grundy Mary Lee Guthrie Carmen Hardin Anita Hartmann Nancy Herning Martin & Manuela Hitz Barbara Hompesch Helen Howard Anne Hauer Dinah Jelinek Karen Johnson Carol Johnson Stan Justice Frank & Jennifer Keim Katie Kennedy Nathaniel Kibbey &

Melanie Graeff Marcella Knowlton Donna Krier Thomas & Lisett Lane Carol Larson Jim Lokken &

Sylvia Slotnick Mary MacFarlane Janet Matheson Miriam McGovern Molly McGrath Jochen Mezger Michelle Miller Diane Miller Mary Moriarty Jan Morrow Gael Murakami Francis Nelson Jeanne Olson Tracie Batson Pendergrast Barbara Powell Kathy & Roger Price Pat Rawert Christine Matson &

Frederick Raymond Brianna Reagan M. H. & Marjorie Rees Bill & June Rogers Alexis Runstadler Brenda Sadler Timothy Satre Tom Schneider Mark Simon Christine & Larry Smith Howard Smith Ron & Arlene Strader Erin & Toni Talbott

Scott & Janet Taylor Frank & Elizabeth Torres Anne Udry Linda Van Houten Elizabeth Wood Jacque Virgin June Weinstock Cynthia Wentworth Frank & Judy Williams Robert Williams Geoff & Dorothee Wool Constance Zachel Vladimir Zhikhartsev

Canada Goose ($50-99)

Jeff Adams Charlotte Basham Cynthia Beale Sandra Benson Maggie Billington Barbara Braley Alex Buetow Sharon Bullock Kari Burrell Eileen Cahill Richard & Marilyn

Campbell Betty Carlson Jennifer Chamberlen Micaela Christopher Ann Cunningham Eveline d'Angremond Sandra Dauenhauer Jennifer Delamere Pat DeRuyter Laurel Devaney &

Ken Russell Nancy & Jim Dewitt Erik & Emily Drygas Kristen Dubois Larry Flodin Nancy Frei Faye-Lynn Gallant David Gerrish Michael & Nancy Gigliotti Rhonda Gilbertson Terry Glendinning Jerry Gottbe Jodi Gouwens Don & Carolyn Gray Sue Guers Nan Hampton Daniel Hancock

Patricia Harris Lois Heine Alaena Helt Jimmy Holder Tanya Ignacio Wayne Jex Lawrence Johnson Stan Justice Kathleen Kennedy Stephen Kibbee Kay Kitchen-Maran Heather Koponen Sandy Lachman Michelle Lake Mary Leith Richard Leonard Harriet Lewis Don & Carol Lokken Thomas Marsh Philip & Jackie Martin Erica Matthews Mary Matthews Sheila McCleary Joan McGlinchy Susan McHenry Hilda Melchior Barbara & Doug Mercer Marin Kuizenga &

Jeff Merkel Lori Moyer Network for Good Brenda Norcross Patricia Nordmark Mary Anne Nutter Denise Omstead Ellis, Dorothea, Isadora &

Rhys Ott Marilyn Biagi &

Charlie Parr Scott Peterson & Barbara

Fairhurst Shaque Phillips Mike Powers & Teri Spires Stephanie Rasley Marliyn Richardson Terry Roberts Brian Rogers &

Sherry Modrow Carl Roland &

Jacqueline D’Auria Carol Linkswiler &

John Rose Ronnie Rosenberg Kathy Ross Brittany Rozier

Trish & David Rumph Phil & Katie Sanders John Sargent Teresa Shannon Frida Shroyer Mary Beth Smetzer Mark Smiley Sally Smith Nancy Smoyer Adrienne Smyth Sue Sprinkle Augustin Standlee-Strom Rosalie Stockwell Betsy Sturm Lynn Schweissinger & Paul Tebbel Joyce Tapper Richard Tarkiainen Darla Theisen Andrea Tombolato Jim & Chris Villano Melissa Walker Jeffery Walters James Ward Ann Wellman Michael Wenstrup Robert Williams Kara Yancey

Swallow ($35-49) Amazon Smile Foundation Jim Barr Dan Bates Mary Burtness Kathi Cameron Edmund Clausen Susan Delisa Jan Dawe & Larry Kaplan Kathleen Greenberg Phyllis Haggland Mia Kohloff-Reynolds Debra Koons & Clint Meyer Brian & Marilyn Marsh Jessica Morse Mary Ann Nickles Caitlin Perry John Pfeifer Kimberly Rogers Francis Schulz Quincy Schurr James Warren

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Chickadee ($15-34)

Christine Abbott Anne Aleshire Janet Ames Anne Armstrong Joyce Bateman Kristian Beckner Catherine Bennett Nelda L. Benson-Nixon Annette Berg Louise Biderman Karen Bollinger Linda Brechan Alicia Brooks Mary Bunch Linda M. Casassa Marjorie Casort Phoebe Corbett Gaylord & Brenda Coston Jeanne Creamer-Dalton Patrick Druckenmiller Sarah Diehl Melinda Evans Shelly Firestone Barbara Gabel P. J. Grant Gayle Harbo Colleen Herning Michael Hill Ivan Hodes Kathy Hodges Phillip Hokenson Polly Hyslop Chris & Erica Jarvis Jerome Johnson Robert Kauffman Carol Kaynor &

Dave Partee Dan Kennedy Erika Knox Lynn Larsen Don & Barbara Logan Panu Lucier Ken MacPhearson Daria Mantei Danielle Marquez-Kohloff Margo Matthews Nancy Mazurek Michael McCann Susan McMahon Kelly Mendez Carol & Hal Meyer Lisa Meyers

Lynn M. Miller Jeanette Moore Robin Nelson Carol Nielsen Gregory Nothstine Rita & Dan Osborne Elizabeth Parr Patricia Peirsol Lisa Rogers Peter Betty Pixley Marji Plessinger Matt Poggemiller Gary & Deborah Porter David Proper Charlene Roberts James Romersberger Lawrence Schaedel Donna Scott Judy See Jane Sellin Michael Smith Susan Smith Anna Sorensen Emma Stice Sarah Sullivan Kaarin Tack Bridger Terra Lance Thibedeau Rachel Turner Joseph Turtle Thom Walker Ilisa Walter Shannon Waterbury Paulette Wille Nancy Winford Ann Wood Allison Zhang

Lifetime Contributors

Valerie Amarillas Kay & Perry Barboza Joyce J. Bateman Margaret & Larry Bennett Randall Compton Charles Creamer D. G. & Sandy Creamer Gary & Yolanda Creamer Jeff & Christol Creamer Roxanne Creamer Jeanne Creamer-Dalton Douglas B. Elliot Joanne Groves Phyllis Haggland

Bill Holman & Michelle Bartlett

Jim Hunter & Marilyn Mount

James G. King Ruth Jolly Knapman Donna Krier The Lewis Family Gail Mayo Jeanette Moore Joy Morrison Patricia Peirsol E. Thomas & Raye Ann

Robinson Wendall & Judith Shiffler Mark Smiley Susan Grace Stoltz Gina Tabachki Ruth & Dan Thomson University Park

Elementary School PTA

Camp Habitat Director and local Falconer,

Bennett Wong, prepares for training session

with a juvenile Gyrfalcon.

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Creamer’s Field Refuge Hosts:

Ken Hooker & Mary Perkins

Farmhouse Visitor Center Hosts:

Brenda Sadler, Betsy Sturm, Janet Taylor,

Susanne Billings, Gail Mayo, Maureen Dey,

Anne DeMuth, Susie Crevensten and

Caroline Wolf.

Nature Walk Leaders:

Bud Marschner

Thank you Volunteers & Community Partners!

Friends of Creamer’s Field is proud to partner with the Fairbanks Garden Club. (Below–left)

Volunteers from the Club plant and maintain Anna Creamer’s Historic Garden and the landscaping

around the Farmhouse Visitor Center. (Below-right) Susie Crevensten & Liz Masi accept a donated

load of manure from Seekins Ford.

(Below) Somer Hahm, Artist in Residence &

Creative Director of the Far North Quilt Trail

Project, prepares panels for the “Flying

Geese” barn quilt. (Far right) Staff from

Johnson River Enterprises, LLC donated time

and expertise for the installation.

friends of creamer s field

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