Courtesy of Margie Kim Bermeo Campfire Girls at Camp Nawakwa, summer 1971, with Margie Kim Bermeo shown fourth row up, fourth camper from the left.
mer camp. As the firstborn, I was the experimental child and I was enrolled in everything. I went to camp in the An- geles National Forest and at Lake Arrowhead—pitching a tent, hiking, canoeing, archery, all the typical camp activities, and I always wanted to go back. Later I was a camp coun- selor and director, and I loved it.
Over the years the role of philanthropy has grown at The Trust for Public Land. Why is it important to increase philanthropic support now?
The biggest reason is that so much work needs to be done, and philanthropy gives us the means to do it much more quickly. For example, when a donor gave us a gift for a community garden in Connecticut, we were able to design and create that garden right away. What I’ve been telling the staff is that philanthropy is the currency that moves the mission forward. We have the passion
and the concern for the common good, and we have the expertise to lead in conservation and enrich com- munities in and around cities, big and small. But we can’t meet the many needs to complete the mission without the necessary resources.
A lot of people first hear about us because of a close-to-home project or a prominent national project, like the protection of the land behind the Hollywood sign a couple of years ago. How do you keep donors inter- ested in supporting the organization beyond specific projects?
I talk about the importance of our mission and about the impact of our work. When I visit with donors, I first talk about The Trust for Public Land and its programs—our national reach and depth of experience. Then I may use a specific example of what we are doing in the donor’s city or state. For example, in Los Angeles County I might talk
A Conversation with Margie Kim Bermeo Feature Title 45