LEWISTON – The Stanton Bird Club board of directors elected Susan Hayward as 18th president at a Nov. 18 meeting. She takes over from outgoing President Kathy Lawrence.

Hayward has been the longtime steward of Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary. She said she looks forward to completing a parking area and planning for a nature center in a recently cleared spot at the entrance to Thorncrag.

Lawrence said, “Susan led the revitalization of Thorncrag several years ago and will continue to protect this wonderful place for people to learn about nature.”

The other officers elected are Jeralyn Maurer, first vice president; Daniel Marquis, second vice president; David Haines, secretary; and Thomas Hayward, treasurer.

The Stanton Bird Club is a nonprofit conservation organization, founded in 1919. It has a regular series of free, public meetings with expert speakers on topics of natural history. It runs a number of field trips led by member volunteers.

The club has an active junior naturalist program and conducts educational programs for children of all ages in the Androscoggin County area. The club owns and manages three wildlife sanctuaries: Thorncrag in Lewiston (312 acres), Woodbury in Monmouth (160 acres) and Applesass in Lewiston (two acres).

For more information, call Hayward at 782-5238.