CONTACT: Allyson Bass, 608-356-9462, ext. 102
Member Event and Evening Celebration Sept. 16th
Baraboo, WI – The International Crane Foundation will mark 50 years of crane conservation with a special Member Appreciation Day followed by an evening celebration on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.
To celebrate the anniversary, the International Crane Foundation has two events planned:
The Foundation’s annual Member Appreciation Day will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and includes staff presentations about our worldwide work, guided tours of the Cranes of the World exhibits, and a special rare look behind the scenes at Crane City. Not a member? Join today and help support the International Crane Foundation’s work across the globe.
Help us plan for the day by pre-registering for this free member event! Note, event registration is not required but will help expedite check-in on this busy day. Register for Member Appreciation Day here.
In the evening, join Co-Founder George Archibald, President and CEO Dr. Rich Beilfuss, International Crane Foundation Board Members and special guests for an inspirational evening 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Kalahari Resorts and Convention Centers in Wisconsin Dells. The celebration begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception, and the program and dinner will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $150 per person, with all proceeds going to support the International Crane Foundation’s programs and research. Tickets for the evening event must be purchased by Friday, Sept. 1st.
For 50 years, the International Crane Foundation has worked worldwide to protect cranes and the ecosystems, watersheds and flyways on which they depend, providing knowledge, leadership and inspiration to engage communities and other conservation partners in resolving threats to cranes and their diverse landscapes.
The International Crane Foundation’s story began in 1971 when two ornithology students, Ron Sauey and George Archibald, met at Cornell University. Their passion for saving cranes became the vision of an organization that would work tirelessly to safeguard the world’s 15 species of cranes, including many that are endangered and threatened. Their vision became reality in 1973 when the Sauey family generously allowed the friends to rent their horse farm in Baraboo, Wisconsin, for $1 a year.
As the organization grew, so did its reach – from the small horse farm to the 300-acre headquarters and Cranes of the World visitor experience in Baraboo – extending across the globe with offices and staff in China, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia and South Africa, as well as Texas. From an original team of two in 1973 to 125 staff and associates today, the International Crane Foundation works in 50 countries on five continents.
Our organization has grown and remains successful because of our commitment to community-based conservation programs that benefit cranes, people and the lands they share. We focus on innovative conservation solutions worldwide, managing and protecting vital crane landscapes across Asia and Africa, bringing back the Whooping Crane from the brink of extinction here at home, and ensuring that crane conservation success stories worldwide remain successful. Great partnerships – local villages, grassroots organizations, governments, universities and businesses – make possible all we do.
Dr. Rich Beilfuss, President and CEO