We are making great progress raising funds to finalize creation of the new Little Badger Preserve and Trail. Whereas we had $800,000 left to raise in October 2020, now as of February 25th we have $565,000 left to go! Thank you very much for your generosity. Every donation has brought us this far, this fast.

We need to raise the remaining by Fall of this year to meet our deadline for purchase of 21 acres in the saddle, the critical section linking Badger to Little Badger. In fact, if we raise the funds by October 1st, we can start building the section of trail through the saddle and head towards the flank of Little Badger.

On this front, there's an exciting new opportunity. We may qualify for match funding. However, we only qualify if we can assure the grantor by the end of March that we have the capacity, and a plan, to raise the match amount. Thus, it is critical to get a sense of how much you think you might give to FoBM this year as a business, organization, family, or individual. We haven’t asked this question before. We are asking now. If you are able to share how much you plan to give, email sharon@friendsofbadger.org. This information will help a lot.

Here’s one great idea for giving we recently received from a fan of the ridges... we haven’t paid a club fee since last March so are going to give the amount of that monthly fee x 12 to FoBM. We love the trails. You have made it so easy to keep up our exercise!

We need support from business. Think of your financial advisors, lawyers, doctors, realtors, and other professionals. In fact, please share this link to our website with anyone who is glad that our local ridges have been preserved for their viewscape, native habitat, excellent trails — and if you're a business, contact us!

Again in 2021, because of the CARES Act, you can claim a charitable deduction of up to $300 even if you don’t itemize your taxes. If you do itemize, you can deduct all of your cash donations up to 100% of your adjusted gross income. This feature of the CARES Act means a lot more people can receive a tax benefit by giving which could mean significant savings for you while also benefiting Friends of Badger Mountain.

All to say, this is another great year to make a gift!

Upcoming Events

As spring approaches, some of our favorite outdoor activities are coming up

• Spring Trail Work will start in early March. Trailmaster is organizing a major project to widen and rebuild the upper part of the Canyon Trail and another project finishing the new trail from Badger's Sagebrush heading east towards the saddle. To get out and use those muscles contact Jim Langdon at trailmaster@friendsofbadger.org
• The 10th Annual Badger Mountain Challenge, canceled last year, will take place this year! March 26-27. All events will be organized in waves of 10 each, about 3 minutes apart. The 50 and 100 mile races have already sold out, the first time that's ever happened! The 50K and 15K races are still open. Prices go up March 15th and registration closes March 21st. Visit badgermountainchallenge.com for more information.