Sunday, April 18, 2010

Enviro Expo at Philpot


You can count on the month of April for beautiful wildflowers, great trout fishing and the Environmental Expo at Philpott Lake. Hosted each year by the Friends of Philpott and the Army Corps of Engineers, the expo  kicks off Earth Week and showcases local non profit organizations, clubs and government agencies and their connection to preserving and promoting the areas natural resources.
The theme for this years event : "Be Water and Energy Wise."
FOP's own Linda Drage is the ringmaster for this event and once again she and her group pulled together a diverse selection of groups and agencies with environmental concerns and solutions.
Linda estimated crowd attendance at over 400 !
There was music, food and fun and a wonderful opportunity to learn about all the groups that are working to promote and protect our fabulous natural and cultural resources here in Southern Virginia.
Thanks to Friends and Phipott and the Army Corps of Engineers for hosting another great event !

Dan River Basin board member Ellen Jessee speaks with Danny Martin at the DRBA display

Al Kitterage and Darrin Doss demonstrate fly tying techniques at the Trout Unlimited Display.  Darrin took a mayfly from the tub-o-bugs and put it in a petri dish alongside a pheasant tail nymph he had just tied to show how fly fishermen tie flies that mimic the aquatic insects in the stream.

We were fortunate to have Mary Dail and Mike Hutchins from the DEQ come down and partner with DRBA on the macro invertebrate display.  They had an additional "Tub-O- Bugs" complete with water monitoring equipment set up to show the public how the recent water quality studies were conducted on the Smith River.
Mary Dail of DEQ explains how macro invertebrate populations are an indicator or water quality in our rivers and streams.
 Some future environmentalist get a closer look at a Helgramite at DRBA's "Tub-O-Bugs"


My, they do grow up fast don't they ?  Here's former DRBA staff member Jennifer Doss and with Hunter, who had a great time with the tub-o-bugs and all the animals at the expo !

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Linda Drage Radio Interview

Linda Drage, Friends of Philpott, will be the featured guest on DRBA's radio program tomorrow morning from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., streaming live online at http://www.wloewmyn.com. Also on the dial at am 1490 and am 1420.

She'll be discussing Friends of Philpott's 4th Annual Environmental Education Expo coming up this Saturday,as well as exciting plans for a state-of-the-art handicap accessible park at Philpott Lake slated for completion by next spring.

Linda has more than 35 years experience working with non-profits and represented five U.S. states and part of Canada as a member of the Board of Directors for Parents Without Partners. Currently, she is a member of a number of local organizations and serves as the Henry County President for Friends of Philpott (for which she is a founding member); Consulting Director for the Henry County Bike Club; and President of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Council.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Seeking Volunteer Coordinator

____________________________________________

Do you have a passion for preserving and protecting local rivers, natural areas and cultural landscapes for future generations? The Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) is seeking a dedicated volunteer to fill our Volunteer Coordinator position. This position will allow the right candidate to make a significant difference across the region.

The Volunteer Coordinator will work with DRBA staff to enlist volunteers and coordinate the activities of other community volunteers across the Dan River region in NC and Virginia. While this is a volunteer position, DRBA is offering a monthly stipend to help compensate for the volunteer’s mileage, cell phone use, and meal expenses. The Volunteer Coordinator will have access to office space, including a computer and internet. This highly visible position is ideal for someone who enjoys working as part of a team and who seeks to establish a track record, build a network, and make a measurable difference for the Dan River region.
 Specific duties include working with the DRBA team to:
 Coordinate recruitment, screening and training of DRBA volunteers;
Provide encouragement, feedback and support to volunteers;
Track volunteer hours and periodically evaluate volunteer performance;
Conduct regularly scheduled meetings with volunteers to foster teamwork;
Schedule volunteers for activities such as festivals, stream monitoring, children’s environmental education programs, and more;
Help coordinate and otherwise assist in media relations, including press releases.

Qualifications include:
Enjoy working with and motivating people of all ages
Interest in DRBA’s work in recreation, education and stewardship
Demonstrated leadership skills, enthusiasm and ability to inspire others;
Positive attitude and successful experience in working with people of all demographic groups;
Demonstrated team player, with commitment to the mission and values of the Dan River Basin Association;
Experience in Microsoft Office, Excel, internet and e-mail;
Valid driver’s license, ability to travel and volunteer during evenings and weekends as needed.
To Apply
Please e-mail letter of interest, three references and resume to drba.nc@danriver.org.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

DRBA's Recreational Gear Swap



April  10, 2010
DRBA's Recreational Gear Swap
Need some more room in your garage for more gear ?

Got extra room for gear and you need to fill it up ?

Then come on out this Saturday, April 10th to the Dan River Basin Associations 2nd annual gear swap and get prepped for the season.  This years event will be held at  from 10 am...till the gear is gone, at the Indian Heritage RV Park & Campground (Tensbury Drive. Martinsville) This is the location of the South Martinsville canoe access on the Smith River just below Martinsville Dam.  Bring your outdoor gear,canoes, kayaks, bicycles, camping gear, fishing supplies, and more! Buy, sell , trade.   Admission is free.

The Gear Swap is a great way to pick up used gear for a bargain or sell gear you are ready to part with. Meet other paddlers, cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts. Come meet new friends, trade stories, and get a good deal on used equipment at DRBA’s Gear Swap! For more information contact the Dan River Basin Association at 276-634-2592 or bwilliams@danriver.org


Friends of Mayo River State Park Meeting

Saturday April 10, 2010
FMRSP Meeting/Clean Up Day

Friends of Mayo River State Park (FMRSP) is a support group of citizens formed for the purposes of enhancing the growth and programming of Mayo River State Park, the new State Park opening in Mayodan, NC in the spring of 2010.   We ask for your support in making this state park one of the best by joining our non-profit organization and helping us meet this challenge.
 
We invite you to come to our next group meeting at 10:00 am. Saturday April 10, 2010 at Mayo River State Park.  The park is located on Business 220 North of Mayodan.  We encourage you to become a member and participate in a park clean up project immediately after the meeting.  Suggested items to bring are gloves, water, a snack, and sunscreen. 

For any additional information you may contact FMRSP on Facebook or board member Pam Maynard at gocankay@yahoo.com.  I would also suggest adding the FMRSP page to your Facebook, since this is our way of communicating upcoming events and updates/additions to the park.

This is a great opportunity for the public to come out and view for themselves the initial stages of the park, meet with the ranger/staff, ask questions and become a member of FMRSP.

Pam Maynard
FMRSP
Treasurer
 

www.DanRiver.org