Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness’ Post

Thank you to the people of Ely for the warm welcome for the Friends of the Boundary Waters float at the Fourth of July Parade and at our cookout at Semers Beach the night before! I had the pleasure of being a walleye in the parade! It is people who make for a strong community and it is people who protect the Boundary Waters for the next generation!

RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT! After 22 years of dedicated leadership, we are both honored and saddened to announce the retirement of Nancy Metzger, P.E., CEO and President of Metzger & Willard, Inc. (MWI). Nancy's tenure at MWI was marked by outstanding achievements and significant contributions to water and wastewater infrastructure. She has overseen more than 510 design and construction projects, showcasing her unparalleled expertise and commitment to excellence. Under her leadership, MWI expanded its service lines to include Construction Engineering Inspection (CEI) services and Survey/Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE), achieving annual revenues of up to $4.5 million. Nancy's technical acumen is evident in her successful management of numerous pipeline projects, including welded steel, prestressed concrete, ductile iron, and PVC, with diameters reaching up to 66 inches. Additionally, she has provided invaluable forensic engineering services, particularly related to large-diameter pipe ruptures, including prestressed concrete cylinder pipe. Throughout her career, Nancy has been a leader within MWI and a trailblazer in the industry. Under her guidance, the Tampa Bay Business Journal recognized MWI as a top woman-owned business for over a decade, a testament to her leadership and vision. V&A is sending one student to Boundary Waters Canoe Area Camp to honor Nancy! Nancy has been canoeing in this area since age 5, where the lakes are crystal clear and have the best water quality in the US. These waters hold a very special place in Nancy's heart. This weeklong camp promotes equity in the wilderness and assists students from underserved backgrounds in building on their classroom experience and becoming the next generation of wilderness stewards. | www.friends-bwca.org | Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness As Nancy embarks on her well-deserved retirement, we celebrate her remarkable accomplishments and express our deepest gratitude for her unwavering dedication and exceptional leadership. Her legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire us all. Please join us in congratulating Nancy on her retirement and celebrating her extraordinary career. #retirement #legacy #water #wastewater #girlpower #WBE #bwcacamp

Thank you to all the wonderful supporters of Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness who came out to our gathering in Seattle at the south end of Lake Union! I had a great time meeting all of you and providing an update on our current work and insights into our future work. Friends of the Boundary Waters is a people-based organization and our supporters are at the foundation of all that we do! We look forward to meeting more of our supporters throughout the country. Thank you to all of you!

Thanks to our generous supporters, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness will be buying and protecting 360 acres of forestland with over two miles of undeveloped shoreline along the South Kawishiwi River at the edge of the Wilderness Area. This is a testament to how much people love the Boundary Waters and we are grateful and humbled by the generosity of or donors. In 2022, we bought and protected 80 acres on Snowbank Lake with 3,500 feet of undeveloped shoreline, also at the edge of the Wilderness Area. Read more about our conservation efforts in the Duluth News-Tribune article at the following link: https://lnkd.in/gVGdxMWV

The DFL State Convention is in Duluth this weekend. It is time for the DFL to become the party of clean water. The DFL can do this by adopting a resolution supporting Prove It First legislation to protect the Boundary Waters, Lake Superior, and all of Minnesota's waters from copper-sulfide mining. Read my commentary in today's Duluth New-Tribune for more information at the following link: https://lnkd.in/ggiS8rCd

Thank you so much to all the great people of Ely who came out to the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness Open House and Community Dinner! It was a great turnout and great fun at the Boathouse Brewpub & Restaurant We at Friends of the Boundary Waters support Ely and the other communities that are gateways to the Boundary Waters! Stop by our office at 8 E. Sheridan Street in the heart of downtown Ely. Learn more about our work at https://lnkd.in/gB2snYz2