Dear Friends of the Eno,
It feels like the older I get, the faster time flies. It’s hard for me to believe it, but ERA is firmly in the midst of preparing for the end of the year. We’ve just launched our end-of-year appeal. Multiple land projects are rushing to close. And I’m surrounded by spreadsheets as work continues on our 2026 budget. With so much going on, it’s easy to forget about the reason for the season. This is a time to be thankful for life’s many blessings and the people that bring us joy.
We recently started our staff meeting with a gratitude practice. Each staff member got a blank thank you note and was asked to write a thank you to a supporter, colleague or volunteer that had helped them at some point over the course of the year. Our icebreaker was to share who the note was written to and why. It was lovely to hear so many familiar names – fantastic volunteers, all-star board members, and professional colleagues who have gone above and beyond to support ERA and our staff. We are truly thankful for our caring community here at ERA.
I want to keep the ball rolling by thanking some of the people that have been a resource for me in my first year at ERA. I’m thankful for Hillary Harrison, Hsi Chen, Nick Ferguson, and the entire ERA staff for all of their good advice, their clear expertise, and for making me feel so welcome. I’m thankful for Board President Lindsay Duncan for the countless hours she devotes to ERA, for her delightful sense of humor, and for answering my roughly one million questions this year. I’m thankful for Ben Miles at the Land Trust Alliance for always pointing me in the right direction when I needed help. I’m thankful for Kim Livingston, Robin Jacobs, Cynthia Satterfield, and Jessica Sheffield for their institutional knowledge, their leadership, and their ongoing commitment to ERA. And I am thankful to be leading an agency that is so beloved that almost every meeting with a supporter feels like a meeting with an old friend. This year has been a true joy and I am so, so thankful to be here at the Eno River Association.
We are in a line of work where we continually have to ask for the things that we need. I have joked with nonprofit colleagues that we’re all “professional panhandlers.” I hope that you recently received our year-end appeal, and my ask is that you please take a moment to make a personally significant gift to support ERA and our work. Now is the perfect time to support agencies like ERA that align with your values. We couldn’t do this work without you. Thank YOU for all that you do to support us.
In gratitude,
Ryan J. Fehrman
Executive Director
