Who We Are
On a hot June afternoon in 2012, a small group of concerned citizens gathered at a local coffee shop in Ames to discuss the need to enhance outdoor recreation, education and conservation in Story County: Mike Cox, Director, Story County Conservation, Jim Pease and Ted Tedesco, Story County Conservation Board members, Erv Klaas and Greg Vitale. All had decades of outdoor recreation, education and conservation as well as other community service experience. In the course of this discussion, we agreed that additional local investments in the natural resources of Story County are essential for providing these opportunities for this and future generations. As a result of this meeting, a working group of volunteers formed Story County Conservation's nonprofit friends group, the Outdoor Alliance of Story County.
Memorandum of Understanding
Since 2012, the Outdoor Alliance of Story County has been working as an independent friends group to support our shared vision with Story County Conservation: Enhancing outdoor recreation, education and conservation. The forming Committee was led by Mike Meetz and included Todd Burras, Linda Zaletel and Greg Vitale. In 2013, The Outdoor Alliance of Story County received its IRS 501(c)3 non-profit status.
The Outdoor Alliance of Story County is actively assisting Story County Conservation’s many efforts. A few of these projects are listed under Our Work including environmental education, recreation and service learning projects, donating and fund raising for land acquisition projects, winter hikes exploring our public lands, presentations with our partners and supporting water monitoring.
The Outdoor Alliance of Story County is actively assisting Story County Conservation’s many efforts. A few of these projects are listed under Our Work including environmental education, recreation and service learning projects, donating and fund raising for land acquisition projects, winter hikes exploring our public lands, presentations with our partners and supporting water monitoring.
Looking Ahead
There is still plenty of projects to do. With the founding of the Outdoor Alliance of Story County, Story County joins the other two thirds of the counties in Iowa that already have one or more tax deductible friends groups that can work with their county conservation boards. These groups have created more open space, outdoor recreation and education opportunities in their counties, and with your support, we can in Story County too.
In addition to helping Story County Conservation enhance outdoor recreation, education and conservation, we can and have also assisted local parks and recreation departments, non-profit groups and informal groups in Story County as well as the City of Ames, Slater and Story City that have these same goals.
In addition to helping Story County Conservation enhance outdoor recreation, education and conservation, we can and have also assisted local parks and recreation departments, non-profit groups and informal groups in Story County as well as the City of Ames, Slater and Story City that have these same goals.
