Earlier this year, Dale L. Charbonneau passed away. Minnesota Conservation Volunteer readers will recognize Mr. Charbonneau as someone who helped the magazine dramatically increase its outreach in 2007. He provided a major gift to bring the magazine and its Young Naturalists stories into classrooms throughout the state. He also provided a challenge grant that helped us meet our 2007 budget.
After retiring from a long career as an accountant with General Mills, Mr. Charbonneau became a true pioneer in his support for the Volunteer. While the magazine enjoys the annual support of more than 25,000 subscribers, Mr. Charbonneau stepped forward to ask what we might do with a significant, new donation. Our conversations covered a lot of ground before focusing on how we could expand our reach into school classrooms to encourage greater interest in the outdoors and Minnesota's natural resources. His substantial donation to support Young Naturalists in the Schools was the right idea, at the right time. After Mr. Charbonneau passed away, we learned that he made an additional provision for the Volunteer in his estate plan.
Mr. Charbonneau gave this magazine an unprecedented opportunity to respond to Minnesotans' desire to teach and to learn about our natural world. During the 2007-2008 school year, the Volunteer reached more than 22,000 teachers and students in 704 Minnesota classrooms.
After hearing of Mr. Charbonneau's passing, hundreds of teachers wrote letters of condolence and gratitude. Students sent hand-drawn cards. With Mr. Charbonneau's support, we are able to offer free classroom subscriptions again this year.
We gratefully acknowledge the following people who have made contributions to Minnesota Conservation Volunteer in memory of Dale L. Charbonneau: Big Foot Resort; Elaine A. Dalager; Gary Drentlaw; Jim and Laura Gillen family; Ron Groth; Ruth Koehler, New York Mills Elementary School; Warren M.; Allen Michael; Mary Murphy and the second graders of J.W. Smith Elementary School; Darrell and Kathleen Pleschourt; Ron, Dennis, Jane, Molly, and Emma Van Ryn; and other friends.
