by Linda Winnie

Jane Lopp passed away April 21, 2017, as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Because the May issue of the Pileated Post was already in press, the following remembrance of Jane has been included in this issue.

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Jane Lopp devoted her energy and talents to serving people – with enthusiasm, with determination, with intelligence, and with kindness. Her vigorous involvement in a large number of service organizations in Flathead Valley, her support for individuals in need, her active participation in state level committees for  human rights and social justice, are just some of the ways she worked to made this world a better place. For a more complete account, take a look at her obituary, still available on the Daily Inter Lake website at http://www.dailyinterlake.com/records/obituaries?text=Jane+Lopp

The Flathead Audubon Society was privileged to have Jane as a friend and generous supporter.

Through her company Jane Lopp & Associates LLC, Jane provided Flathead Audubon with the opportunity to obtain grants through the Prudential Global Volunteer Days Program. This Program enables a local Prudential agents such as Jane to apply for a $1000 grant for a nonprofit group when the group organizes and carries out a day of volunteer effort that benefits its local community benefit and also attracts at least a specified number of volunteers. In 2004 Jane sponsored an application on the behalf of Flathead Audubon based on our 2004 Owen Sowerwine Workday. Jane herself was one of the volunteers at this workday – using her wheel-chair accessible van to shuttle workers to the appropriate work sites in Owen Sowerwine. And she brought along some of her company employees to help, including husband Bob – who also, by the way, was the one who actually wrote up the application. The workday attracted enough volunteers and the application was successful; a Prudential Global Volunteer Days $1000 grant was awarded to Flathead Audubon that year. In all, FAS received the Prudential grant 11 years until the grant program ended.

Jane also generously provided Flathead Audubon with much needed meeting space. Starting in fall 2004, Jane made the spacious and well-appointed meeting room of the Jane Lopp & Associates Building available to Flathead Audubon for the monthly FAS Board Meetings, and for the occasional meetings of the various FAS Committees.

In addition to this organizational support, Jane gave us her friendship. Greeting Jane at FAS meetings meant a warm handshake, trading stories, sharing laughter, and enjoying Jane’s dry humor. It is hard to take in the fact that when Flathead Audubon begins meeting in September, after our usual busy summer, Jane will not be with us. We will miss her greatly.