Anne Arundel County Environmental Groups Launch...

FORIMMEDIATERELEASE-May18,2017ForMoreInformation

• ElviaThompson,President&Co-founder,AnnapolisGreen,410-656-9420,starboard@annapolisgreen.com

• KateFritz,ExecutiveDirector,SouthRiverFederation,410-224-3802,kate@southriverfederation.net• SuzanneK.Etgen,ExecutiveDirector,AnneArundelCountyWatershedStewardsAcademy,443871

0700,setgen@aacps.org

AnneArundelCountyEnvironmentalGroupsLaunchGreenGivea24-hourOnlineGivingDay,SetforMonday-Tuesday,June12-13

ElevenAnneArundelCountyenvironmentalnonprofitsarecollaboratingonanew,24-houronlinefundraisinginitiative,calledGreenGive,designedtobothraisefundsandexpandresidents’andbusinesses’engagementwithlocalenvironmentalorganizations,issues,projectsandactions.It’sthefirsttimemultipleenvironmentalnonprofitshavecollaboratedonsuchanevent.GreenGiveisscheduledtostartonMonday,June12,at5p.m.andrunthroughTuesday,June13,at5p.m.AGreenGiveLiveKick-offPartyisscheduledforMonday,June12,5:30p.m.to7:30p.m.atHistoricLondonTown&GardensinEdgewater.Registrationisrequested:http://bit.ly/2qSXeT3AnneArundelCountyExecutiveStevenR.Schuhisinvitedandhopestokickofftheevent."AnneArundelCountyisblessedwithanabundanceofmagnificentnaturalwonders,"saidCountyExecutiveSteveSchuh."EventsliketheGreenGivehelpensurewecankeepourCountybeautiful."TheGreenGivePartnersare:AnnapolisGreen annapolisgreen.comBackCreekConservancy backcreekconservancy.orgFriendsofAnneArundelCountyTrails friendsofaatrails.orgOurCreeksandConservancy sites.google.com/view/ourcreeksandconservancySt.Luke’sRestorationofNatureProject stlukeseastport.org/environmental-ministrySpaCreekConservancy spacreek.netScenicRiversLandTrust srlt.orgSevernRiverAssociation severnriver.orgSouthRiverFederation southriverfederation.netWatershedStewardsAcademy aawsa.orgWest/RhodeRiverkeeper westrhoderiverkeeper.orgIntheleaduptoGreenGive,the11GreenGivePartnerswillbemobilizingtheirconstituentsthroughemailandsocialmediatobecomeaforceforthegreenergoodinAnneArundelCountybylearningmoreabouteachofthe11organizations.Then,supporterswillbeencouragedtoPick2!organizationstodonatetoduringGreenGive.MoredetailsaboutGreenGivePartnersandtheirorganizations,registrationfortheKick-offParty,andhowtodonate(withspecialthankstoWhatsUp?TIXforassistanceinmanagingdonations)isavailableatgreengive.annapolisgreen.com.“Wearechallengingoursupporterstorecognizethatthemoreweworktogetherandthemorewegive,themorewewillaccomplish,”SuzanneKilbyEtgen,executivedirectoroftheAnneArundelWatershedStewardsAcademy,andaleadcoordinatorofGreenGivesaid.“Realchangerequiresatruecollectiveeffort.WewantourcommunitymemberstobecomefullyengagedinthegreatprogramsunderwayinAnneArundelCountytorestorelocalwaterways,ensurecleanwater,protecttrailsandlands,andestablishAnneArundelCountyas

anexemplaryurbanwatershed.Wewillbeencouragingconstituentstobroadentheirinterestsandbecomemoreengagedinallofourwork.”SurroundingGreenGive,the11organizationswillbepromotingprojectsandinitiativesonwhichtheyhavecollaborated.Anexcellentexampleisthe1,000-ft.stormwater-streambedrestorationprojectcurrentlyunderwayonfiveacresoflandbehindSt.Luke’sEpiscopalChurchinEastport.TheideafortheprojectstartedwithparishionersBetsyLoveandAliceHallin2013.Love,anactivememberoftheSevernRiverAssociation,joinedandbecametrainedbytheWatershedStewardsAcademytobecomebetterequippedtoleadtheproject.Therestorationproject,slatedforcompletionthisyear,received$1.2millioninfundingfromtheMarylandDepartmentofNaturalResources,BackCreekConservancy,andaconsortiumofdonors.(Formore,seechesapeakequarterly.net/V16N1/main3)AsLovesaidindescribingherprojecttoChesapeakeQuarterly,“Stormwatermanagementaloneissuchabigproblem,everyoneneedstogetinvolved.”That’swhoGreenGiveaimstoinvolveaswell–everyone.That’swhoGreenGiveaimstoinvolvetoo–everyone.

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Photo-Lefttoright:KateFritzandSuzanneMartin,SouthRiverFederation;NinaFisher,ScenicRiversLandTrust;JackKeene,FriendsofAnneArundelCountyTrails;SuzanneEtgen,AnneArundelWatershedStewardsAcademy;AmyClements,SpaCreekConservancy;ElviaThompson,AnnapolisGreen,Rev.JohnnyCalhoun,OurCreeks&Conservancy;Rev.DianaCarroll,StLuke’sEpiscopalChurch