Winter Solstice featuring Womenchant - Coming to Ball's Falls

An evening of seasonal songs and drumming at picturesque Ball's Falls Conservation Area.

Join us on for a Winter Solstice Concert on Wednesday, Dec. 20, featuring WomEnchant Chorus & Drummers; hosted by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation.

Building on the success of the first collaboration in 2019, the 2023 Winter Solstice Concert will take place in the picturesque setting of Ball's Falls Conservation Area on the verge of winter’s arrival.

Set in the beautiful Glen Elgin Room of the Centre for Conservation, magnificent views of the park will heighten your enjoyment of song and drum.

Come bask in the warmth of music and fellowship as we welcome the new season together.

Proceeds go to Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation, to help safeguard our natural environment for present and future generations.

Tickets: Adults/Seniors $25, Children 12 and under are free
Contact number: 905.788.3135, extension 330
Buy tickets online: https://www.showpass.com/winter-solstice-womenchant

Light refreshments will be served; a Silent Auction will be held

Comfort Maple Pens Fundraiser – A good medium to raise awareness:

Comfort Maple Pens Fundraiser – A good medium to raise awareness.   NPCF Board and staff express deep gratitude to Marv Ens for his continued dedication to producing pens from the wood of the beloved Comfort Maple tree. Since 2016, we have sold over 350 pens, with sales totaling over $32,500. The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation programs support conservation projects and programs that contribute to improving water quality, increasing green spaces, wetland and habitat restoration, and environmental research and education. The Comfort Maple is thought to be the oldest sugar maple (Acer saccharum) in Canada and is designated as a heritage tree under the Ontario Heritage Act. As such, the tree possesses considerable biological and cultural heritage value. When Marv presented NPCF with the opportunity to use the wood that falls or is pruned from the tree and “turn” it into beautiful hand-crafted pens, he provided us with a unique way to allow the public to purchase a piece of history that is significant locally, in the Niagara peninsula, and across Canada. We saw the extent of the community connections with this tree when people from across Canada reached out to purchase a pen and share their stories of visiting the tree for marriage proposals, special events and family drives.  

NPCA BOARD CHAIR DONATES HONORARIUM TO CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN THE NIAGARA PENINSULA WATERSHED

In her second year serving as Chair of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) Board of Directors, Brenda Johnson has donated her honorarium to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF) and Glanbrook Conservation Committee (GCC).

Chair Johnson’s donation of $6,891.53 will help fund programs that contribute to environmental research and education, improve water quality, increase green spaces, and restore wetlands and wildlife habitat.

“The importance of protecting greenspaces has never been more prominent in the minds of the watershed community,” says NPCF Board Chair, Tom Insinna. “Through the support of our community and individuals like Chair Johnson, we can continue to protect our important natural resources for present and future generations.”

This marks Chair Johnson’s second honorarium donation, and the fourth time she has contributed financially to conservation efforts while serving on the NPCA Board of Directors. In May 2019, her annual per diem sponsored the visit of a group of children from Eva Rothwell Centre to Binbrook Conservation Area. This donation made it possible for the group of aspiring anglers to experience the GCC’s Annual Spring Fishing Derby, which included transportation, lunch, and fishing gear.

“It is my sincere pleasure to donate this honorarium to the NPCF and GCC, which are two organizations that support the important work of the NPCA and share in the vision of a healthy and resilient Niagara Peninsula watershed,” adds Brenda Johnson, NPCA Board Chair. “As the representative of the City of Hamilton on the Conservation Authority Board, I am delighted to support the incredible efforts of groups like GCC at Binbrook Conservation Area.”

The GCC is a group of volunteers working to improve the habitat for wildlife in what was previously Glanbrook Township, now the City of Hamilton. The group includes, naturalists, environmentalists, bird watchers, hikers, canoeists, as well as fishermen and hunters. They have been active in the community for more than 30 years, accomplishing projects such as ongoing maintenance of the Tyneside Trail, installation of blue bird boxes and fish habitat cribs, invasive species identification and removal, hosting the annual Spring Fishing Derby and many more.

Donations to the NPCF will help connect great people with great causes and create partnerships across the watershed, seeking the most constructive solutions to conservation issues today. “We must all lead by example and remember that every donation, no matter how big or small, will help improve the watershed we call home,” adds Johnson.

For more information about the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation, visit www.niagaraconservationfoundation.com.

PASSING OF MICKEY DIFRUSCIO

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF) are saddened to share the news of the passing of Dominic ‘Mickey’ DiFruscio on Saturday, February 19, 2022 at the age of 95.

Mickey served on the NPCA Board of Directors for 25 years as the City of Thorold's citizen representative, and was an Honourary Lifetime Member due to his dedication and commitment to conservation. Being the true advocate that he was, he was a strong believer of the work of the NPCA and NPCF and was always willing and happy to support. Mickey attended countless community events and public meetings as an ambassador of the work of conservation and was never shy to go a step further and lead by example by rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty at community plantings. He assisted at events such as the annual Thanksgiving Festival and even helped with the cooking for the NPCF Wild Game Dinner.

Mickey’s passion for monarch butterflies was well-known across the community. Much of his work focused on the protection and restoration of habitat for pollinators, so he grew milkweed in his garden and greenhouse for many years. He would share and donate these plants with staff and board members, and often donated trees to be used in restoration projects or planted throughout the watershed.

In 2017, the NPCA Board of Directors approved the Mickey DiFruscio and Family Legacy Pollinator Project, which aimed to see the installations of two pollinator gardens each year in Mickey’s honour. All Mickey DiFruscio and Family Legacy Pollinator Gardens contain only native species of plants that serve as either host or nectar sources for native pollinator species.

Today, there are eight gardens in eight different municipalities, with a total of 12,000 wildflowers and 1,600 m2 of gardens created in his name. These were installed with the support of hundreds of volunteers and local community groups and two more gardens are planned for 2022.

To say that Mickey has made an incredible difference in this watershed is an understatement. He will be greatly missed by his NPCA and NPCF families and the entire watershed community.

Our deepest condolences go out to Elizabeth DiFruscio and the DiFruscio family as they deal with this great loss.

“Long Live the Monarch Butterfly”

Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/stcatharinesstandard/name/domenico-difruscio-obituary

The Foundation Receives Support from Niagara Regional Chair's Charity Golf Tournament

NIAGARA FALLS (August 27, 2021) – In 2017, the Foundation established an Outdoor Education Fund with the Niagara Regional Chair from proceeds raised at the annual Niagara Regional Chair’s Charity Golf Tournament, in support of children and youth 18 and under, and NPCA educational programming needs. 

“Since its establishment, the fund has provided a number of outdoor opportunities for children and youth to attend camp, new costumes for historical programming and tours, new archery equipment and most recently, a forest playscape at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area,” said Andrea Crosby-DiCenso, NPCF Executive Coordinator. “When we received notification for this year’s tournament and that we were generously selected as a charity of choice, we were absolutely delighted.”

The Foundation was amongst other well-deserving charities that included The Niagara Health Foundation, Tomorrow’s Voices, Food4Kids, and the Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre receiving proceeds raised at the 2021 Regional Chair’s Charity Golf Tournament. 

 “Our thanks and deep appreciation go to Chair Bradley,” said Tom Insinna, NPCF Chair. “Not only for his continued kindness towards our great cause but support for NPCA educational programming.

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About the NPCF: 

Founded in 1969, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF) is a registered charity, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are dedicated to raising funds that aid in the conservation of our natural environment for present & future generations.

When you donate to the Foundation (NPCF), you help support conservation projects and programs that contribute to improving our water quality, increasing green spaces, wetland and habitat restoration, and environmental research and education.

Questions related to the above release should be directed to:

Andrea Crosby-DiCenso
Executive Coordinator 
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF)
250 Thorold Road West, 3rd Floor | Welland, ON L3C 3W2
Tel: 905-788-3135 | extension 435

Foundation Welcomes Balsom to Board of Directors

WELLAND (August 19, 2021) - Earlier this year, the Foundation established and approved a board recruitment process with the interest in appointing new members. 

“This new process encouraged us to actively seek new members for the board,” said Tom Insinna, NPCF Chair. “After thoughtful consideration of skill set and expertise, we are pleased to officially announce the appointment of Mr. Michael Balsom.”

 Member Balsom brings over 30 years of expertise as a Broadcaster for Cogeco YourTV and 30 years-experience as a secondary school teacher in Gananoque, Kingston, Brockville and St. Catharines. This news follows the exciting appointment of Wainfleet Councilor and NPCA Board Member, Donna Cridland, on April 8, 2021, with 30 years-experience in the private sector and strategic banking. 

“It's more important than ever that we work to protect our natural resources for future generations,” said Member Balsom. “I look forward to supporting the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority through my work with the Foundation to ensure we preserve and protect our natural spaces."

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About the NPCF: 

Founded in 1969, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF) is a registered charity, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are dedicated to raising funds that aid in the conservation of our natural environment for present & future generations.

When you donate to the Foundation (NPCF), you help support conservation projects and programs that contribute to improving our water quality, increasing green spaces, wetland and habitat restoration, and environmental research and education.

Questions related to the above release should be directed to:

Andrea Crosby-DiCenso
Executive Coordinator
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF)
250 Thorold Road West, 3rd Floor | Welland, ON L3C 3W2
Tel: 905-788-3135 | extension 435

Results from the 7th Annual Great Canadian Giving Challenge

From June 1 – 30, Canada Helps hosted their annual online Great Canadian Giving Challenge where every dollar donated to participating charities was an entry to win a prize donation of $20,000.00. 

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation was one of 16,611 charities across the country that benefitted from this challenge which saw 233,027 donors who contributed over $26.2 million during the month of June. 

“We are pleased to announce $1,740.00 was raised during the challenge, towards the work of the NPCF,” said NPCF Chair, Tom Insinna. “Being so heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as many non-profits are, the support of the community is needed now more than ever and greatly appreciated.”

To donate to the NPCF, please visit niagaraconservationfoundation.com/donate.

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About the NPCF: 

Founded in 1969, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF) is a registered charity, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are dedicated to raising funds that aid in the conservation of our natural environment for present & future generations.

When you donate to the Foundation (NPCF), you help support conservation projects and programs that contribute to improving our water quality, increasing green spaces, wetland and habitat restoration, and environmental research and education.

Questions related to the above release should be directed to:

Andrea Crosby-DiCenso
Executive Coordinator 
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF)
250 Thorold Road West, 3rd Floor | Welland, ON L3C 3W2
Tel: 905-788-3135 | extension 435

NPCF Celebrates Speaker Series Success

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation wrapped up its final session as part of the NPCF Speaker Series, a new fundraising initiative to 2021. 

The three-part series that included sessions with Mark Zelinski (April), and David Newland (May), was brought to a close June 30 with Yvonne Van Lankveld, raising an impressive $1,431.00 through the generous sponsorship of NPCF Chair, Tom Insinna, NPCF Vice-Chair, D. Gayle Wood, and participating attendees. 

“I’m thrilled this new initiative was such a success,” said Andrea Crosby-DiCenso, Executive Coordinator with the NPCF. “All three speakers gave exceptional presentations and we received a lot of positive feedback from attendees.”

Van Lankveld’s recent session featured a presentation and reading of her first novel, The Road to Alright, which attendees were encouraged to enjoy with a signed copy of the book and bottle of Ball’s Falls white wine from Calamus Winery, inclusions in the paid session.

“100% of every book I have written and sold is donated,” said Yvonne, author of A Road to Alright. “I think the NPCF is a really great organization, so, this is part of my journey to support a great cause.”

Proceeds from this initiative will support conservation projects within the Niagara Watershed.

NPCF Selects Recipients of 2021 Conservation Education Bursary

Through initial support of the Fort Erie Conservation Women’s Auxiliary, The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation is able to support an annual Conservation Education Bursary program. 

The bursary ranges from $250.00 to $1,000.00 annually, and is aimed at assisting secondary school students in their educational endeavours in a field relating to conservation, environment, forestry, natural resources, and/or fish & wildlife. 

“We are pleased to announce that a total of 15 outstanding individuals from the municipalities of Fort Erie, Hamilton, Haldimand, Pelham, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Thorold, and Welland, have been chosen as recipients of this year’s Conservation Education Bursary in the amount of $1,000.00,” said NPCF Chair, Tom Insinna. “The Committee and I were impressed by the recipients’ enthusiasm towards their studies, and sincerely look forward to congratulating these individuals in person.”

An official reception will be planned for the fall where recipients will receive their awards.

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About the NPCF: 

Founded in 1969, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF) is a registered charity, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are dedicated to raising funds that aid in the conservation of our natural environment for present & future generations.

When you donate to the Foundation (NPCF), you help support conservation projects and programs that contribute to improving our water quality, increasing green spaces, wetland and habitat restoration, and environmental research and education.

Questions related to the above release should be directed to:

Andrea Crosby-DiCenso
Executive Coordinator
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF)
250 Thorold Road West, 3rd Floor | Welland, ON L3C 3W2
Tel: 905-788-3135 | extension 435

NPCA Chair Johnson Donates Honorarium to Support Conservation in the Watershed

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority Chair, Brenda Johnson, marks a fourth donation of her annual honorarium to support the work of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF), and Glanbrook Conservation Committee (GCC). “It is my sincere pleasure to donate this honorarium to the NPCF and GCC which are organizations that support the important work of the NPCA for the health of the Niagara Peninsula watershed.” says Chair Johnson. 

In 2020, the NPCF launched a ‘Directors Donation Challenge’, a motion tabled by Foundation Board member Dominic "Mickey" DiFruscio. Difruscio had envisioned every Conservation Authority and Foundation Board Member could participate in an initiative that would see donations supporting the conservation of greenspace and enhanced environmental educational programming. The initiative resulted in close to $8,000 in funding directly raised by both Board of Directors, NPCA Senior Staff, as well as the Authority’s Public Advisory Committee, with Chair Johnson taking the lead through an initial donation of her honorarium.

NPCF Chair Tom Insinna thanked Chair Johnson for her leadership demonstrated by donating her Conservation Authority honorarium to this new Foundation fundraising initiative. “The importance of protecting greenspace has never been more prominent in the minds of the watershed community than during the last year,” says Chair Insinna, “Through the support of our community and individuals like Chair Johnson, we can continue to protect our most important resource.”   

Chair Johnson noted that “It’s important to lead by example. As the representative of the City of Hamilton on the Conservation Authority Board, it was my request that part of my donation be focused on the Binbrook Conservation Area to support the ongoing efforts and hard work of the Glanbrook Conservation Committee." 

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About the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation: 

Founded in 1969, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF) is a registered charity, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are dedicated to raising funds that aid in the conservation of our natural environment for present & future generations.

When you donate to the Foundation (NPCF), you help support conservation projects and programs that contribute to improving our water quality, increasing green spaces, wetland and habitat restoration, and environmental research and education.

Questions related to the above release should be directed to:

Andrea Crosby-DiCenso
Executive Coordinator 
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF)
250 Thorold Road West, 3rd Floor | Welland, ON L3C 3W2
Tel: 905-788-3135 | extension 435

 

 

 

David Newland Joins as NPCF Speaker Series Guest

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF) has launched their first Speaker Series. Taking place virtually on Zoom, guest speakers share their stories and their connection to nature. The Speaker Series, which kicked off in April with Mark Zelinski, will also feature David Newland on May 26, 2021. The Foundation hopes that the event will inspire participants to do more to conserve the watershed and the natural world.

David Newland is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, singer-songwriter, and radio host. The inspiration for his work comes from his own Arctic adventures, and the respect for indigenous culture and Canada's wild places. 

"David is an exceptional speaker,” says Andrea Crosby-DiCenso, Executive Coordinator with the NPCF. “He has a way of captivating audiences with stories and songs from his travels that when you close your eyes, you'd swear you're right there where it all happened. It's an absolute pleasure to watch him present."

The event is free to attend and will be held from 1 pm to 2:15 pm. Those interested can register here.


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About the NPCF: 

Founded in 1969, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF) is a registered charity, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are dedicated to raising funds that aid in the conservation of our natural environment for present & future generations.

When you donate to the Foundation (NPCF), you help support conservation projects and programs that contribute to improving our water quality, increasing green spaces, wetland and habitat restoration, and environmental research and education.

Questions related to the above release should be directed to:

Andrea Crosby-DiCenso
Executive Coordinator 
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF)
250 Thorold Road West, 3rd Floor | Welland, ON L3C 3W2
Tel: 905-788-3135 | extension 435

NPCF Announces 2021-2022 Chair and Vice-Chair

After a successful Annual Meeting on April 8, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation is pleased to announce the re-election of Tom Insinna as Chair and the newly elected Gayle Wood as Vice-Chair.

"I am honoured to be re-elected as the Foundation's Chair for 2021, stated Chair Tom Insinna.

Our accomplishments over the past year have been significant regarding our support for conservation areas and education.  I look forward to another productive year."

As the newly appointed Vice Chair, Gayle Wood advised that "the Foundation's work in supporting conservation is needed more now, than ever, as our community craves the opportunity to be outdoors with nature."

Both Insinna and Wood are pleased at the progress the NPCF has made so far in being a leader of providing resources to support conservation work and are looking forward to all the exciting endeavours 2021 will bring.

For a complete list of NPCF Board of Directors, click here.

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About the NPCF: 

Founded in 1969, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF) is a registered charity, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are dedicated to raising funds that aid in the conservation of our natural environment for present & future generations.

When you donate to the Foundation (NPCF), you help support conservation projects and programs that contribute to improving our water quality, increasing green spaces, wetland and habitat restoration, and environmental research and education.

Questions related to the above release should be directed to:

Andrea Crosby-DiCenso
Executive Coordinator 
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation (NPCF)
250 Thorold Road West, 3rd Floor | Welland, ON L3C 3W2
Tel: 905-788-3135 | extension 435