A Short History of the Friends of Turnbull
Although a Friends of Turnbull group has been in existence since 1995, it was not until the spring of 1997 that the group achieved the status of a non-profit organization. An interim board of nine people was formed in January of 1997 and has been meeting monthly ever since. The goals of FOT have been environmental awareness, environmental education, and support of the refuge's role in habitat restoration and preservation.

Grants from Foundation Northwest, Wheelabrator, Horizon Foundation, as well as donations from memberships, tee shirt and other sales, have enabled FOT to support research and the Environmental Education (EE) program at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. The main focus of the EE program has been to create an opportunity for school field trips, in which children from Cheney-Spokane area schools are bussed to the refuge for tours and a hands-on learning experience in the EE classroom (located on the Refuge).

The board's other efforts since inception have been public outreach with information and promotion of the refuge as a unique, necessary and viable addition to the surrounding community. FOT has had a presence at Cheney's Rodeo Days, the Children's Expo, Valleyfest, the County Fair, and has set up a display at the Cheney Library. FOT tee shirts have been available (for donation) at Excell and EWU on numerous occasions and we now organize talks, slide lectures and field trips as part of regular FOT activities.

The FOT group continues to grow and mature on our way towards our mission and goals. During 2001 we initiated a drive to establish the FOT Endowment in an effort to create a financial base from which FOT can consistently fund the EE program. Members are still our greatest asset; people with vision and energy, to see the value of preserving what we have been privileged to enjoy, for future generations.