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Prominent Norfolk Couple Donates $101,000 to The Nature Conservancy

Conservancy's three-year fundraising campaign nearing goal of $52 million

Norfolk, Virginia—6 April 2005—The Nature Conservancy announced today that Norfolk couple David R. Goode, Norfolk Southern Corporation’s chairman and chief executive officer, and Susan S. Goode, an active volunteer with several nonprofit boards in the Hampton Roads area, have donated an unrestricted $101,000 gift to the private conservation nonprofit.

“We are grateful to the Goodes for their support of The Nature Conservancy and our organization’s efforts to protect Virginia’s last great places,” said Michael Lipford, Virginia executive director of The Nature Conservancy. “Some conservation opportunities can’t be planned for, so an unrestricted gift allows the Conservancy to act with greater flexibility when unexpected opportunities arise.”

Over the last four decades, The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 270,000 acres of land throughout Virginia. In southeast Virginia, The Nature Conservancy has helped protect more than 100,000 acres. The Goodes’ donation goes toward the Conservancy’s Wild Virginia Campaign, a three-year fundraising effort launched in May 2002 to raise $52 million for land protection across Virginia. To date, the Conservancy has raised $50 million towards this goal.

“Susan and I have long supported The Nature Conservancy and its programs in Virginia and nationally,” said David R. Goode, a former member of The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia Board of Trustees. “We are pleased to make this gift to advance the work of this worthy organization.”

The Conservancy was recently rated by Forbes Investment Guide as one of the most efficient charities in the nation, with over 91 cents of every donated dollar going directly to its conservation programs throughout the world.

“David and Susan Goode’s gift allows the Virginia program to address the most pressing and immediate conservation priorities,” said Robert Cushing, director of philanthropy for The Nature Conservancy in Virginia. “We trust that the gift also will inspire other like-minded conservationists to continue and extend their support for our work, both now and in the future."