03/26/2014
Volunteers needed for "Easter on the Green"
Volunteers are needed for the 5th annual Easter on the Green, presented by Earth Fare, on Saturday, April 19 from 2-5pm on Roger McGuire Green at Pack Square Park.
The Asheville Downtown Association needs volunteers to man the inflatables, handle the check in table, escort children to visit with the Easter Bunny, assist sponsors, set up and breakdown.
Easter on the Green is a free day of family fun with Easter egg hunts, bouncy houses and other activities. In keeping with Earth Fare’s mission, there will be no high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes or flavorings in any candy or snacks at Easter on the Green. Even the food venders will be selling all natural cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn and ice cream.
Most volunteers will receive instructions and can get training day of the event, but we'll also send out informational emails to assist in preparation and communicate with a site plan and more details. Find out more info on volunteering and register here.
source
North Carolina rivers and streams have been making headlines recently - and appear to be getting the short end of the stick.
However, concerned residents in Western NC are fired up and committed to improving local waterways. Hundreds of volunteers have lent their time and skills with the Stream Monitoring Information Exchange (SMIE), to build a large database of reliable water quality data for WNC. Aquatic insects are often used as indicators of water quality. SMIE volunteers assess stream health by sampling for pollution-sensitive insects at 36 stream sites in the French Broad River basin. Space is already filling up for the new volunteer training to be held March 29th in Asheville .
SMIE data is used by area non-profits to support grant requests for stream improvement projects. The Western NC Alliance, Clean Water for NC, Haywood Waterways Association, the Environment and Conservation Organization, Henderson County Soil and Water Conservation District have all used SMIE data to identify priority areas or to support grant requests. Sites are selected in collaboration with over a dozen regional partners, and the program works with professional biologists to evaluate water quality and publish annual reports at: http://www.environmentalqualityinstitute.org/smie-stream-monitoring-information-exchange.php.
State budget cuts, administrative changes and recent pushes for decreased enforcement of environmental regulations have highlighted the importance of citizen science in preserving our natural resources. The NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) Western Regional Office has reached out to the Environmental Quality Institute (EQI), and other groups, to help bolster public involvement in an effort to mitigate loss of agency staff and resources.
“The NC DWR samples local waterways only every five years (at previous funding rates), so there is an urgent need for alternative, reliable sources of long-term water quality data, generated using a consistent and rigorous protocol,” said Ann Marie Traylor of EQI. “There is an urgent need for well-educated and engaged community volunteers.”
The SMIE is currently seeking volunteers to attend a volunteer training on Saturday, March 29th, from 9am-4pm, at UNC-Asheville. Once trained, volunteers work in small groups to sample a couple sites, two times per year (about 10 hours of annual service). Volunteer opportunities are open to anyone (11th grade and up) with any level of experience or identification skills. RSVP is required – e-mail graciaoneill@yahoo.com or call 828-713-4352 to RSVP.
SMIE volunteers who attend the day-long training sessions are taught basic stream ecology, macroinvertebrate identification, field sampling protocols, and how to identify and report threats to water quality. Short training tutorials are available at http://www.environmentalqualityinstitute.org/smie-training.php.
Primary funding for this project has come from the Pigeon River Fund of the Community Foundation of WNC, which supports activities that improve the streams and rivers of Haywood, Buncombe, and Madison Counties.
source
Let Them Eat Weeds!
Common weeds like dandelion and stinging Nettles have tremendous health benefits when used appropriately. Jeannie Dunn, owner of Red Moon Herbs, a local company with national reach, is teaching a community class on harvesting, handling and preparing medicinal foods and extracts. In addition to discussing the nutritional benefits of weeds, this class incorporates hands-on processing and bottling techniques as outlined by good manufacturing practices. Each participant receives a tincture, herbal salve and elixir sample to take home.
Offered in partnership with BioNetwork of A-B Technical Community College
source
Statement from Femcare:
Recognizing the political challenges in today’s environment, Femcare has been in conversation with Planned Parenthood for several months. Both parties want to ensure that women in Western North Carolina have strong, long-term access to full GYN health options, including abortion.
With that mutual goal in mind, in the coming year Femcare will shift its abortion services to Planned Parenthood. During the time of transition Femcare will continue to provide abortion services but will not see new gynecology patients.
Femcare has offered comprehensive reproductive health services in the region since 1985. Similarly, Planned Parenthood has played a role in meeting women’s health care needs in Western NC and their patient base is rapidly increasing, providing over 3,000 medical visits during the past fiscal year.
source
On March 5 and 6, I had the privilege of talking to both students and the adults who teach them at Brevard and Rosman middle schools. The county's Golden LEAF Foundation 1:1 Teaching and Learning Grant, which funded Chromebooks for each student at each school, has ended. As part of its final evaluation, I conducted focus groups with some of the students and teachers who have been directly imp... More
Volunteers needed for "Easter on the Green"
Volunteers are needed for the 5th annual Easter on the Green, presented by Earth Fare, on Saturday, April 19 from 2-5pm on Roger McGuire Green at Pack Square Park.
The Asheville Downtown Association needs volunteers to man the inflatables, handle the check in table, escort children to visit with the Easter Bunny, assist sponsors, set up and breakdown.
Easter on the Green is a free day of family fun with Easter egg hunts, bouncy houses and other activities. In keeping with Earth Fare’s mission, there will be no high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes or flavorings in any candy or snacks at Easter on the Green. Even the food venders will be selling all natural cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn and ice cream.
Most volunteers will receive instructions and can get training day of the event, but we'll also send out informational emails to assist in preparation and communicate with a site plan and more details. Find out more info on volunteering and register here.
source
Environmental Quality Institute seeks volunteers to sample local waterways
Press Release
However, concerned residents in Western NC are fired up and committed to improving local waterways. Hundreds of volunteers have lent their time and skills with the Stream Monitoring Information Exchange (SMIE), to build a large database of reliable water quality data for WNC. Aquatic insects are often used as indicators of water quality. SMIE volunteers assess stream health by sampling for pollution-sensitive insects at 36 stream sites in the French Broad River basin. Space is already filling up for the new volunteer training to be held March 29th in Asheville .
SMIE data is used by area non-profits to support grant requests for stream improvement projects. The Western NC Alliance, Clean Water for NC, Haywood Waterways Association, the Environment and Conservation Organization, Henderson County Soil and Water Conservation District have all used SMIE data to identify priority areas or to support grant requests. Sites are selected in collaboration with over a dozen regional partners, and the program works with professional biologists to evaluate water quality and publish annual reports at: http://www.environmentalqualityinstitute.org/smie-stream-monitoring-information-exchange.php.
State budget cuts, administrative changes and recent pushes for decreased enforcement of environmental regulations have highlighted the importance of citizen science in preserving our natural resources. The NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) Western Regional Office has reached out to the Environmental Quality Institute (EQI), and other groups, to help bolster public involvement in an effort to mitigate loss of agency staff and resources.
“The NC DWR samples local waterways only every five years (at previous funding rates), so there is an urgent need for alternative, reliable sources of long-term water quality data, generated using a consistent and rigorous protocol,” said Ann Marie Traylor of EQI. “There is an urgent need for well-educated and engaged community volunteers.”
The SMIE is currently seeking volunteers to attend a volunteer training on Saturday, March 29th, from 9am-4pm, at UNC-Asheville. Once trained, volunteers work in small groups to sample a couple sites, two times per year (about 10 hours of annual service). Volunteer opportunities are open to anyone (11th grade and up) with any level of experience or identification skills. RSVP is required – e-mail graciaoneill@yahoo.com or call 828-713-4352 to RSVP.
SMIE volunteers who attend the day-long training sessions are taught basic stream ecology, macroinvertebrate identification, field sampling protocols, and how to identify and report threats to water quality. Short training tutorials are available at http://www.environmentalqualityinstitute.org/smie-training.php.
Primary funding for this project has come from the Pigeon River Fund of the Community Foundation of WNC, which supports activities that improve the streams and rivers of Haywood, Buncombe, and Madison Counties.
source
Let Them Eat Weeds!
Common weeds like dandelion and stinging Nettles have tremendous health benefits when used appropriately. Jeannie Dunn, owner of Red Moon Herbs, a local company with national reach, is teaching a community class on harvesting, handling and preparing medicinal foods and extracts. In addition to discussing the nutritional benefits of weeds, this class incorporates hands-on processing and bottling techniques as outlined by good manufacturing practices. Each participant receives a tincture, herbal salve and elixir sample to take home.
Offered in partnership with BioNetwork of A-B Technical Community College
source
Femcare statement: we'll shift abortion services to Planned Parenthood
Recognizing the political challenges in today’s environment, Femcare has been in conversation with Planned Parenthood for several months. Both parties want to ensure that women in Western North Carolina have strong, long-term access to full GYN health options, including abortion.
With that mutual goal in mind, in the coming year Femcare will shift its abortion services to Planned Parenthood. During the time of transition Femcare will continue to provide abortion services but will not see new gynecology patients.
Femcare has offered comprehensive reproductive health services in the region since 1985. Similarly, Planned Parenthood has played a role in meeting women’s health care needs in Western NC and their patient base is rapidly increasing, providing over 3,000 medical visits during the past fiscal year.
source
What Students Say About Using Technology
Left to right, Rosman Middle School students Ashlyn Dodson, Taylor Miner and Brennan Chapman take notes while doing research from the Internet.
No comments:
Post a Comment