CONSERVANCY COMMONS

A group of Conservancy staff has formed a Commuting Benefits Workgroup to brainstorm potential solutions to ease commuting burdens for staff. This survey is to gauge employee interest on two of the options: expanding the Commuter Check program to include an employer match, and expanding resources that encourage staff to bike either as part of their commute, or in between work sites with a company bike fleet. Your responses will be incredibly valuable in how we prioritize these ideas in our proposal. Thank you for your input!

From Aug. 1-31, 80-100 goats from City Grazing will be munching invasive vegetation below the General’s Residence to expose historic walkways and “kick off” the East Black Point restoration project. The project goal is to repair and reopen the century-old scenic garden walks down to Aquatic Park. We've agreed to check the fences every 2 hours during the day, so we need lots of volunteers willing to do a 15 minute walk around the fenceline. Staff, residents, partners are all welcome to sign up below!

PrAna has offered Conservancy staff access to their Influencer Program, which allows all non-profit employees 50% off prAna gear - year-round - for personal use. The discount can be used at prAna.com and their 7 flagship retail stores. Apply at the link below. Choose the "Non-Profit Employee" classification and use your Conservancy .org email address when you apply.

Noon - 1 pm, 201 Fort Mason, 3rd Fl Conference Rm. Stressed? Ease your eyes and mind by getting away from work and screens. The Wellness Committee's new Coloring Club takes advantage of the calming effects of adult coloring books and the often overlooked joy of eating with friends and colleagues. Bring your lunch and join us! Coloring books and pencils will be provided, but feel free to BYO! Email questions to egonzalez@parksconservancy.org.

10 am - 1 pm, Muir Beach. Turn up with TurnOut at Muir Beach! Celebrate diversity and build community with our staff, volunteers, and visitors. We have teamed up with TurnOut, an organization dedicated to connecting volunteers to LGBTQIA+ causes, to help restore and improve vital habitat for the coho salmon and other wildlife. All self-identifying LGBTQIA+ folks and allies ages 10 & up are welcome. Join us for an exciting and challenging day of tool wielding, dirty hands, and community building to make our parks an even more awesome place to be.

The Magic Theater, Fort Mason Center. A stage adaptation of the Robin Williams film "The Fisher King" is coming to Fort Mason, and will feature Alcatraz Cell House employee Peter Finch in the Ensemble. The production is a tribute to Williams, and all proceeds will go to charity. Find out more and buy tickets at the link below.

8:30 pm - midnight, Presidio. We’re hosting the first-ever NightHowl, a dance party happening after the Trails Forever Dinner! Join us for a howlin’ night out with spins by DJ D Sharp (official DJ of the Golden State Warriors), savory & sweet eats, complimentary drinks, entertainment, games, and more! Tickets are $100/person. But wait! We have a STAFF ONLY DEAL: Bring 4 friends and you get in for free! (Or if you'd like to split with 5 people, it would be $80/person.) The staff deal promo code is TFDNH2017. You must purchase the tickets in a bundle. Questions? Email amecruz@parksconservancy.org. Hope to see you there!

9:30 am - 12:30 pm. Presidio. In this workshop, Desmond Murray (Presidio Nursery Community Coordinator & Longtime Bay Area Gardener), Rebecca Blanck-Weiss (Nursery Manager & Landscape Designer) and Will Schell (Nursery Intern) will emphasize natural pruning techniques, fertilizing, pest care, and water management for California native plants. Tools and gloves for the hands-on portion will be provided.

noon - 1 pm, 201 Fort Mason, 3rd Fl Conference Rm. Especially recommended for staff nearing retirement, this training contains important information about how to factor Social Security into your retirement plan. Lead by Ben Herrera, an engaging presenter who is also a Director of Retirement Education at OneAmerica. Lunch provided. Please RSVP to hchrobak@parksconservancy.org by Tues., Aug. 22.

1 - 4 pm. Fort Mason B35N Conference Rm. Highly recommended for all managers who supervise staff. Do you ever find yourselves getting tangled up in the confusing administrative details of being a manager? Through our workshop, you can: gain insights into the administrative functions required by your job and get the tools to command them; align your efforts w/ HR in Recruitment, Employee Relations, and Benefits administration; learn to address disciplinary actions and grievances in a manner that is legally compliant and consistent with agency policies; demystify our Compensation system, Leaves of Absence and more. Space is limited and RSVPs are required.

This week we welcome three new employees, who will be working at Alcatraz and Muir Woods. Welcome!