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As we refind our bearings in 2022 and are able to gather again, it's a year to be proud of for sure! When we look at our project progress, community impact and partner collaborations, we have much to celebrate!
Not only did we host our monthly water monitoring, but we also preformed a MicroInvertebrate Study and hosted targeted monitoring in the Upper PIney Creek area. Several of our board members attended the bi-annual New River Symosium hosted by the New River Conservancy where we shared two presentations on Piney Ceek successes. The Shady Spring Rain Garden really blossomed this year with the addition of several bridges and raised beds -we hosted a ribbon cutting with the BRCCC and it will now we included in the list of attractions along the Southern Gateway!
Projects on New River Drive and at Woodrow Wilson were completed, but the WWHS Wetland is still receiveing attention as two student from WWHS work to raise funds for an outdoor boardwalk to be used as a classroom setting. BAF funding is supporting a Trout in the Classroom project at WWHS , and a trash trout that will be placed in the watershed to sift trash from the creek flow. We've also been awarded funding to host a Rain Barrell Workshop and to execute a Septic Repair project in 2023 (based on the data from our Upper Piney Monitoring).
We hosted several events for our followers throughout the year, starting with our Earth Day Celebration, Girl Scout Tree Planting and skads of County Wide Litter PickUps. We invited Linda Boyd to lead us in a Paint & Sip of Piney Creek at Weathered Ground and partnered with The Dish for donations in August. We hosted our dedication and tree naming at the SS Library and also hosted a another work day for the Girl Scouts at the BAF. And patnered with Trout Unlimited and CSX to stock Piney Creek with various trout fingerlings.
All our projects need a few things to be successful. We start with a plan, we collaborate with our partners and we ask for as many favors as we can. But we have financial needs too! We count on the funds we raise to facilitate the extras we need to execute at each of the locations we support. If we need a bag of concrete or a specific tool or we want to print materials or give or supporters a small gift, those are the tangibles with which your gift can help.
As we move into 2023 and determine the breath of our outreach, your gift can go a long way to help us plan and execute small projects that have a long-term effect on our community. Consider giving a monthly gift that will benefit us all!