MONEP is invited to participate in local and national community events each year.  Volunteering our time and services at these events is our way of giving back to the community by helping increase public awareness of natural beauty and the environment.  MONEP has previously participated in such events as…

• A photographic exhibit at the Shaw Nature Reserve
• Community events on National Public Lands Day
• Earth Day
• Fall Festival at Faust Park. 
• Members have donated prints and slides to help with the educational work of the World Bird Sanctuary after a field trip there.

MONEP Charitable Gifting

While MONEP has been gifting for many years, in 2010 the board established a gifting fund and created a committee. This fund was financed to cover a minimum of five years. The funding came from previous Seminars and could not have been established without the help of our past speakers, sponsors and volunteers. In addition, it was decided that all profits from future MONEP Seminars would be directed to the Fund to extend the life and the scope of the fund. Recipients and awards are decided solely by the gifting committee.

Historic Donations:

We are proud to announce since the establishment of the fund, MONEP has contributed to the:

– UMSL College Scholarship – Scholarship for the Pierre Laclede Honors College.
– Shaw Nature Reserve Youth Photo Contest – awards for youth 14 and younger.
– Forest Park Forever (Keeper of the Park)
– The Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Guardian)
– NABA – North American Butterfly Association of ST. Louis (The Jim Ziebol Butterfly Garden at Bush Wildlife Conservation Area)
– Shaw Nature Reserve – purchased and donated cameras for educational programs for students
– Wildlife Rescue Center (matching funds) – building a Community Wildlife Education building
– The Heritage Foundation – August Busch Memorial Conservation Area
– The Green Center – assisted in the purchase of cameras for youth nature/photo workshop
– IPHF – International Photography Hall of Fame (matching funds)
– The Nature Conservancy of Missouri – prairie restoration
– The Nature Conservancy
– NANPA – The North American Nature Photography Association Foundation
– Nancy Rotenberg Student Endowment Fund (for High School Students)
– Arbor Day Foundation (matching funds) Trees for Joplin MO campaign.
– The Heritage Foundation – Powder Valley Nature Center for building a viewing blind
– Alaska Wilderness League
– The Fund for the Tiger
– UMSL Center for International Studies
– St. Louis Community College at Meramec – Donation of student photographic equipment
– The Missouri Prairie Foundation
– Wildlife Rescue Center – Fox Level
– Tree House Wildlife Center
– World Bird Sanctuary
– Living Lands and Waters
– The Ethical Society