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<FONT SIZE="5"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:16pt'><B><I>Nantucket Birdathon 2009<BR>
</I></B></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12pt'>aka 8th Annual Maria Mitchell Association Birdathon<BR>
5:00 pm Saturday, 16 May to 5:00 pm Sunday, 17 May 2009<BR>
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(For additional Information and for all forms, please visit the Maria Mitchell Association website at <FONT COLOR="#0000FF"><U><a href="http://www.mmo.org">http://www.mmo.org</a></U></FONT></SPAN><FONT SIZE="5"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:18pt'> </SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12pt'>and click on the <B>Natural Science icon</B>)
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<FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><FONT SIZE="4"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:14pt'><B> <BR>
What is Nantucket Birdathon 2009?<BR>
</B></SPAN></FONT></FONT><UL><LI><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>Also known as the 8</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial">th Annual Maria Mitchell Association Birdathon. During the 24-hour period from 5:00 pm on Saturday, 16 May until 5:00 pm on Sunday, 17 May 2009, birding teams will compete to see which team can identify the most number of species of birds in Nantucket County and waters extending 10 miles from shore. Each team will collect pledges and team sponsorships to benefit the conservation, education and research activities of the Maria Mitchell Association, and particularly the Edith F. Andrews Ornithology Collection in MMA’s Natural Science Museum <BR>
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</FONT></SPAN><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><FONT SIZE="4"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:14pt'><B>Why do this?<BR>
</B></SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>For lots of reasons:<BR>
</SPAN></FONT><UL><LI><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>To document the birds found on Nantucket during the peak Spring migration period</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial">
</FONT></SPAN><LI><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">To promote awareness of birds on Nantucket</FONT><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial">
</FONT></SPAN><LI><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">To draw attention to the habitat needs of birds and the beautiful open spaces preserved by Nantucket’s conservation partners.</FONT><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial">
</FONT></SPAN><LI><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">For the Nantucket community and visitors to have fun and to learn about the birds of Nantucket at the same time</FONT><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial">
</FONT></SPAN><LI><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">To preserve, at the highest museum standards, the important bird collection that Edith F. Andrews has gathered during her lifelong commitment to the birds of Nantucket.</FONT><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"> <BR>
</FONT></SPAN></UL><FONT SIZE="4"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:14pt'><B> <BR>
Who can participate?<BR>
</B></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>Anyone can participate by forming or joining one of the following team categories:<BR>
</SPAN></FONT><UL><LI><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><U>Competitive Team</U></SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"> – Teams openly competing for the grand prize consists of 3 or more team members plus a non birding driver
</FONT></SPAN><LI><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><U>Youth Team </U></FONT><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"> – Teams made up of 2 or more individuals under 18 plus a non birding driver
</FONT></SPAN><LI><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><U>Non-Competitive Team</U></FONT><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"> – Teams made up of 1 or more individuals that can participate and contribute to the overall species count but that are not competing for the grand prize. <BR>
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</FONT></SPAN><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><FONT SIZE="4"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:14pt'><B>How can a team register and what are the registration fees?<BR>
</B></SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>Fill out the Registration Form with your team name and the name of the team members. <BR>
Fees (<B>checks made payable to the Maria Mitchell Association</B>) are as follows:<BR>
</SPAN></FONT><UL><LI><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><U>Competitive Teams</U></SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"> –$10/team member over 18, free to members 18 & under
</FONT></SPAN><LI><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><U>Youth Teams </U></FONT><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial">(all members 18 & under) – $10 team fee, no individual fee
</FONT></SPAN><LI><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><U>Non-Competitive Teams</U></FONT><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"> –$10/team member over 18, free to members 18 & under <BR>
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Registrations Forms and Team Fees payable to the Maria Mitchell Association must be submitted at the same time by either mailing them to, or personally delivering them to the Maria Mitchell Association, 4 Vestal Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. <BR>
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Registration </B></SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12pt'>(Registration Form)<BR>
</SPAN></FONT><UL><LI><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><U>Registration:</U></SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"> Teams registering by <B><I><U>May 1st 2009</U></I></B><U> </U>will be able to order Nantucket Birdathon t-shirts for each team member and extra shirts @ $15 per shirt (short-sleeve 100% cotton)
</FONT></SPAN><LI><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><U>Registrations</U></FONT><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"> will be accepted until the start of the Birdathon at 5 pm on May 16th. T-shirts if available, will be $20 each if not ordered by May 1st <BR>
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Pledges and Team Sponsorships </B></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12pt'>(Pledge Form)<BR>
</SPAN><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>Each team can raise funds in many ways. Here are just a few ways:<BR>
</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Symbol">·</FONT></SPAN><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'> </SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>Pledges – each team can collect pledges from friends, relatives, business associates etc. This can be a whole dollar amount such as $50 or can be based on an amount per species identified during either the entire birdathon or by the individual team sponsored. If someone pledges $.50/species and 100 species are seen during the birdathon by all teams or by the team supported, then the support would be $50. We expect the total number of species to be less than 140. Individual teams will range from about 60 to 120 species. <BR>
</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><FONT FACE="Symbol">·</FONT></SPAN><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'> </SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>Corporate Sponsorships – a team can get a business to sponsor them at whatever level they choose. We suggest a minimum business/corporate sponsorship of $250.<BR>
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</I></SPAN><FONT SIZE="4"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:14pt'><B>What is the Overall Nantucket Birdathon Fund Raising Goal?<BR>
</B></SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>The goal of <B><I>Nantucket Birdathon </I></B>is to raise $25,000 for the Maria Mitchell Association’s conservation, education and research activities on Nantucket and particularly to obtain state-of-the-art bird collection storage cabinets and supplies to house the Edith F. Andrews Ornithology Collection in MMA’s Natural Science Museum in Hinchman House. The Andrew’s collection contains over 1,400 bird specimens ranging from the largest, a Golden Eagle to the smallest, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. This collection is a lasting educational and research resource for Nantucket. <BR>
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</B></SPAN><B><FONT SIZE="4"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:14pt'>Awards and Awards Party<BR>
</SPAN></FONT></B><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>The team that sees the most number of species following the <B><I>Nantucket Birdathon 2009 Rules</I></B> described elsewhere, will be recognized as the “Best Birding Team on Nantucket.” Likewise, the team that raises the most support will be acknowledged as the “Grand Champion MMA Birdathon Supporter.” However, all teams will be recognized for both their birding and fund raising efforts at the Awards Party, by MMA, and where appropriate in the media. <BR>
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<B><I>Nantucket Birdathon 2009 Awards Party</I></B> will follow immediately after the Birdathon at 5:30 pm at the finish line at MMA’s Natural Science Museum. Refreshments and pizza are complementary to all team members and volunteers. Friends and relatives are welcome to the Awards Party for a suggested donation of $10/person. <BR>
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</SPAN><FONT SIZE="4"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:14pt'><B>Housing on Nantucket<BR>
</B></SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12pt'>Dormitory style housing for birdathon participants, family and friends on a first come/first served basis will be available at the Maria Mitchell Association for $15/night/person. Guests are required to provide their own sleeping bag or sheets, pillow case and towel. Pillows and blankets will be provided. Please contact Darcie Vallant at 508-228-9198 to make reservations. </SPAN></FONT>
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