Income for the year totaled $158,050, or four percent over budget, while yearly expenses totaled $110,798, or twelve percent under budget, leaving a net ordinary income of $7,192. Income, as anticipated, was less then the prior year due to phasing out of Sunrise Colony donations. However, some of this loss was made up by new revenue-producing events initiated over the past three years. While Walkway sales kept about level, firewood, water, and Red Rock Canyon Interpretative Association (RRCIA) sales increased over the previous year and a new event, the Tortoise Trot trail run, generated just under $4,000 in income. Our thanks to our partners at Red Rock Canyon Interpretative Association for their continued support, including purchases of Friends products.

Year-end cash reserves totaled $163,581 or $33,581 more then our approved minimum level. Included in the above excess is $10,000 budgeted to support the Oliver Ranch Science School. This amount will be placed in a Certificate of Deposit and held in a restricted account until released by the board of directors.

Friends' Assets at year-end totaled $215,923 including $52,342 in inventory. Ray Stafford, Ways and Means Chair, has worked with the Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association staff to introduce several new items for sale to the Visitor Center store. He has also reduced old inventory items by discounting the selling price and/or donating these items to other nonprofit organizations, such as the National Wild Horse Association, as well as the Bureau of Land Management. Because of his efforts, the Inventory Turn ratio has improved each of the past two years.

Funding for BLM discretionary spending increased to over $23,000 for various projects and educational programs, including several major improvements to the campground. As in previous years, Friends provided funding for Harvest Fest, Red Rock Canyon Art Contest, Desert Babies, recycling, EGO Workshops for area teachers, Keystone (the park's newspaper), and transportation scholarships. This year, new projects such as Project GLOBE and dog waste disposal bags and dispensers were added to funded projects.

The Red Rock Days 2002 event was blessed with cold, damp weather, but approximately 125 hardy volunteers arrived over the two days to make it a successful event. It was determined that the 2003 event would be cut back to one day (Saturday) and the 2004 Red Rock Day moved to spring.

As mentioned earlier, Friends sponsored a new event in November 2002 with the first annual Tortoise Trot trail run at Red Rock Canyon. Again, in spite of cold, damp weather, over 300 runners and walkers participated. The Howard Hughes Corporation provided majority financial support for this project.

In January, Friends and the Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association were asked to assist with the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Dedication ceremony. Both organizations provided substantial assistance, financially and logistically, that contributed to the overall success of the event.

Another new event sponsored by Friends was a “Trash Bash” to pick up litter along State Route 159 and the campground.

Friends also developed an Operational Handbook which provides an organizational overview of Red Rock Canyon, FORRC Bylaws and Standing Rules, board and committee job descriptions and functions, information regarding budget requests and guidelines, as well as a yearly overview of miscellaneous activities. A training/review session was held in September with yearly revisions and training being planned.

The PLANT committee, chaired by Clara Hatz, was recognized for its landscaping work around the Visitor Center and Fee Station. A nursery was added this year allowing the team to grow replacement vegetation from seeds or transplanting. The nursery received a much-needed improvement during this year’s Red Rock Day when a water line was installed. Our thanks to the BLM Maintenance team who made this addition possible.

The Cultural Resource Team, chaired by Barron Haley, continues to monitor and record sites within Red Rock Canyon NCA. Several new members joined the team this year and documentation work is continuing on the culturally significant sites located within Red Rock Canyon NCA.

Norm Kresge assumed the chair of the Environmental Education Committee and Carol Snyder became the first chair of the Tortoise Habitat Team. Willie Stephenitch returned to Las Vegas in November and agreed to take over the chair of the Community Relations Committee. Willie has done an outstanding job in securing publicity for Friends via news releases and contacts with Nevada’s public officials.

In September, a membership survey was distributed along with the 2003-2004 membership renewal. This survey followed the same format as the survey completed at the beginning of the 2001-2002 membership period. The results of both surveys are shown later in this report. Members with over 40 hours of volunteer service for the year were sent a “Volunteer” form, while all other members received a “Membership” survey.

In general, our membership felt the overwhelming challenge facing the Conservation Area was the threat of urban encroachment. The events of the last year have underscored this concern: Several attempts to develop adjoining lands have been defeated as a result of public concern regarding preserving the environmental integrity of the Conservation Area. The Friends Board of Directors, responding to member concerns, issued a policy statement regarding urban encroachment. Additionally, Friends members provided testimony at several zoning hearings regarding the anticipated negative impact if variances were granted.