EAGLE'S NEST FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2011

Dear Eagle’s Nesters,

We have launched head-first into 2012 with many great initiatives on our plates, the most exciting being the upcoming celebration of our 85^th anniversary.  While there is great energy for what is to come, I think it most appropriate to take a minute and give thanks to all who contributed to Eagle’s Nest Foundation in 2011.  Your support was instrumental in helping us to meet many programmatic and scholarship goals.  Truly, we could not have done all that we did without you.

Requests for Financial Aid hit an all-time high in 2011 and you responded to the need.  With your help, we were able to provide 84 campers and 22 OA students with the aid they needed to attend their respective programs.  Total aid awarded was $309,710 and of that ENF donors funded $134,612 – a 71% jump over 2010.  We know we will have to continue this trend in 2012 to ensure all deserving applicants have the funds they need to make camp or OA a reality.

Our Garden to Table Initiative took off in 2011 with 1625 lbs. of produce going directly to Chef Ashton and onto our tables.  Contributions from vendors and donors helped provide a new tiller for the garden and specialized storage boxes for our refrigerators.  Our OA students are still eating soups made with canned tomatoes from last summer.

We continue to work with Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy in pursuit of a grant opportunity that will position ENF to pay down some of the debt incurred when we purchased the mountainside behind us and place our property under a conservation agreement.  Our 2011 application was not successful but we have already submitted for 2012.

Other initiatives underway include a revamping of our data management system and the replacement of our waste water treatment plant.  Both projects have completed the study phase and are now under contract.  We are actively seeking funding and grant opportunities for each.

In closing, I would like to thank Mark Braun for the nine years of leadership he has provided as Head of School for OA.  Mark will be leaving his post in June to pursue more time in the classroom.  At the same time, we will be welcoming Michael Brown as our next Head of School.

I encourage you all to register for the Reunion in September – see our website for more information.  Registration opens April 1st.  I hope to see you there to continue to celebrate our history and future success.