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Whew! We can safely say that 2025 was a year of challenges. Forces beyond our imagination challenged us to think differently about everything – about the way nonprofits are viewed by the general public, about the ways we show up for your Rouge River, even about the ways we show up for ourselves. Throughout these ups and downs, the thing that remained constant was you, Friends. You showed us that your Rouge is more than “just a river” – it is a beacon. A call to hope and a reminder of what can happen when everyday citizens like you care about your piece of the world. There is so much good mixed in with the challenges of 2025 and I’m reminded that we’ve been in these situations before, and we came out the other side stronger, more resilient, and more determined to speak up for your Rouge River.
As I sit at my desk watching new snowflakes gently fall, I’m reminded that January is a time for new beginnings. T.S. Eliot said “last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice…to make an end is to make a beginning.” I think this is what is so magical about the opportunity we create for ourselves every January – the chance to leave behind what was, and to reach out for what can be.
As I sit at my desk watching new snowflakes gently fall, I’m reminded that January is a time for new beginnings. T.S. Eliot said “last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice…to make an end is to make a beginning.” I think this is what is so magical about the opportunity we create for ourselves every January – the chance to leave behind what was, and to reach out for what can be.
Friends of the Rouge (FOTR), whose mission is to restore, protect and enhance the Rouge watershed through education, collaboration and stewardship, has named Ashley Flintoff, PMP, LEED AP, as its new executive director.
Flintoff, who will begin her new role on July 8, 2024, is set to lead FOTR with a focus on strategic planning, program evolution, organizational policies and ensuring the organization’s fiscal stability.
After over seven years in this role – I share the bittersweet news that I will begin the transitioning process out of my role as executive director. Finally saying it out loud to you all feels so heavy. So, I want to pause for a moment.