Since it was founded in 1997 the Friends of the Upper Mississippi River Refuges has provided more than $36,500 to projects that benefit the refuge, according to Dorothy Hoffmann, past FUMRR treasurer. Some of the projects include:

• Habitat projects, including native plantings and seedlings for restoration and preservation of wetlands and prairies,
• Support for creating and maintaining hiking and canoe trails,
• A purple loosestrife eradication program
• Mississippi River Festival in Prairie du Chien
• Educational aids (binoculars, portable spotting scope, insect collection nets, nature education kits)
• Environmental education programs, such as the Hooded Merganser program
• Printing the “Ducks at a Distance” and “Leave No Trace” booklets
• Refuge Week celebrations and the Centennial Week celebration this year
• With a grant from the McKnight Foundation, the Friends of the Upper Mississippi River donated two books to 80 public libraries up and down the river. Many members volunteered time this summer to read aloud to children from one of the books, Wildlife Refuge, A Classroom Adventure, by Lorraine Ward and Laura Jacques. The other book is a 258-page photographic book about the refuge system titled The Smithsonian Book of National Wildlife Refuges, by Eric Jay Dolin. Ask for it in your library.

Money to fund these projects has come directly from member dues and donations, grants and the Kwik Trip Rewards Program.

Kwik Rewards Fund Raising Program
The Kwik Rewards Fund-Raising program is intended to benefit your favorite charity, group or organization. You can participate in this program by completing the "Kwik Rewards Fund-Raising" information contained at the bottom of the on-line Kwik Card application or by calling us at 1-800-305-6666.

Once Kwik Trip, Inc. receives a minimum of five (5) Kwik Rewards designations naming your charity, it will be eligible for the program. In the event that a minimum of five designations are not received, the account holder will receive the Kwik Rewards rebate.

Your designated charity will receive your account's quarterly Kwik Rewards rebate and in addition, Kwik Trip will donate an additional 5% of the amount equal to your eligible in-store purchases made with your Kwik Card. That's 3¢ per gallon and 15% on in-store purchases to help your cause! Your Kwik Rewards will start adding up the very first time you use your Kwik Card. Kwik Trip, Inc. will distribute the accumulated donations to the designated charities quarterly (via a check made payable to the charity).

Only one charity may be designated for each Kwik Card account.

Your Kwik Rewards donation made through the Kwik Rewards Fund Raising program may be tax deductible. Please consult your tax preparer. Kwik Trip, Inc. will provide you with an annual statement verifying your donation.

Kwik Trip, Inc. reserves the right to discontinue or alter this program or the terms of this program at any time.