MEET THE DIRECTOR

Leslie Bowie has been a Gloucester Point resident for 27 years but knows she is still a "come-here." "We moved away for four years but moved back so I guess you’d say this is home," she comments.

Bowie first became aware of the work of Friends of Dragon Run while serving as coordinator of the Piankatank River Project, sponsored by Tidewater Resource Conservation & Development, from 1995 to 1998. "We sailed just about every weekend on the Piankatank River so the territory was really familiar. Since the Dragon is the headwater, it is all part of the big picture. The Piankatank River Project and FODR shared common goals so it was a natural fit."

Teta Kain suggested that Leslie re-join the Board in 2005. " I think it is very important to be involved in community activities. Volunteers make the world go around and FODR has some real ‘doers.’ I am happy to contribute in a small way," said Leslie.

This year on the board has found Bowie serving as FODR Program Chair, scheduling speakers for the general meetings held throughout the year. She has also worked with other FODR members in writing several grant proposals to fund FODR projects. "Doing the background research for these proposals has given me the opportunity to learn more about the rich habitats found in the Dragon. I’ve also met other people who are thoroughly committed to protecting these areas," she noted.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Leslie grew up around the Chesapeake Bay and has always been interested in the Bay’s health. In 1997 she helped found Tidewater Oyster Gardeners (TOGA) as a way for homeowners to get involved in the Bay cleanup.

She spends many hours happily gardening in a yard that attracts songbirds and butterflies. She and her husband, Bill, share an interest in boating and admit, sheepishly, that they have owned so many boats over the years, they have simply lost count

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