Good Morning and Happy Friday!

On Monday, our 4th Monday Zoom Series was led by two great reps from FastDemocracy.  They covered how professional associations can move beyond bill tracking to cultivate real advocacy among their members. If you're tracking bills in a professional capacity as a government relations professional or lobbyist, you'll find value in FastDemocracy Professional. It includes advanced features like real-time alerts, customizable reporting, team collaboration, TranscriptAI, and customer support. There is a free version. It allows you to track bills, research legislators and committees, and receive daily or weekly email updates on your priority bills. There are no time limits, no ads, and no limits to the number of bills you can track.  (Slide deck and recording are available for members via link above.)

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…I dug out a hummingbird feeder from the tool shed that wasn’t doing anyone any good gathering dust.  I cleaned and filled it and hung it from the soffit outside my office window this week.  A handful of ruby-throated hummingbirds have found it, but not the throngs that visit my aunt & uncle’s feeder in Michigan.  The chance to marvel over this impossibly quick creature as they sit ‘n sip for even a few seconds is a gift.  It’s already been a great day that started with a walk with a good friend I don’t see nearly often enough, a hummingbird sighting, and an almost-unheard-of second cup of coffee.  I’m on a tear!

P.P.S. Weather update: So, while my immediate area didn’t experience any tornados in last week’s storm, I’ve since found out that two actually touched down in Vermont.  One was less than 30 miles away with winds of 105 mph.  They took out large and distinct swaths of forests like a petulant giant swatted the tops off the trees, removed roofs, and tossed an ice cream shop’s chest freezer like it was a featherweight toy.  Awesome nature…and I mean that in an awe-filled way.