Green Saves Green Member Meeting Minutes
Monday, February 12, 2024
5:30 p.m., Pasquotank County Library
Present: Karl Brandspigel, Jeff Carter, Nita Coleman, Phil Donahue, Jane Elfring, David Fynn, Marlene Greer, George Jackson, Rodney Johnson, Charles Jordan, Bill Kruse, Sue Kruse, Maria Mandis, Cody Marks, Conrad Mollenkopf, Anna Montero, Lisa Purcell, Ally Rooney, Cheryl Squire, Jared Tardiff, Jeanne Tardiff, Gail Ward, Ruth Wells, Holly White, Terry
Plant a Valentine Update
Volunteers wrapped 200 trees in one hour on Saturday before our first tree giveaway at Port Discover. We have two more giveaways planned. At the end of tonight’s meeting, wrapped redbuds and dogwoods will be available for members to take home to plant or give to neighbors and friends. Four hundred trees total for this year’s giveaway.
Board Member and Officer Nominations
The nominating committee recommended Cody Marks, Jeanne Tardiff, and Holly White be elected as new board members for three-year terms. The nominees introduced themselves.
The nominating committee also presented their recommendation for officers for 2024: Nita Coleman, Chair; Marlene Greer, Secretary; Sheila Wrenn, Treasurer.
Yaffa Howell, Rodney Johnson, Charles Jordan, Chip Lewis, Anne Radke, Julie Robinson, Jane Synder, Jared Tardiff, Jeanne Tardiff, Adam White, and Holly White were recommended to continue their service on the board. A motion to approve the board as presented by the nominating committee was made and approved unanimously.
2023 Annual Report
Our environmental outreach program engaged 320 students. We awarded 6 environmental grants, completed 8 community litter cleanups, collected 246 water samples to be sent for testing, and did 5 tree plantings. We expanded our Watershed Watch program to year-round, joined with multiple partners to co-sponsor a regional conference on algal blooms, and initiated our Action Grant program for educators and students. Financially, GSG is in great shape with a total fund balance of $33,697. The report is available on our website.
Kayak Launch and Paddle Trail Pasquotank River/Knobbs Creek
Rodney provided an update on our efforts to find suitable sites for public kayak launches on the upper Pasquotank River from the Morgan’s Corner area to Knobbs Creek. A local resident who has lived on the river all his life and has helped keep the river navigable by clearing fallen trees is advising. The Dismal Swamp Wildlife Refuge may allow a limited number of paddlers to launch in the refuge at certain times of the year.
We are hoping to identify 2-3 appropriate sites for small boat launches and get some CAMA grants to fund the projects. The ultimate goal is to develop a proposal for a Pasquotank Paddle Trail from the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge to Knobbs Creek with multiple put in/take out locations. This is about 30 miles of waterway.
We are also looking at paddle access to upper Knobbs Creek. The county-owned property across the street from the hospital has ideal access.
Bill Kruse advised Symonds Creek on the Little River needs a launch. There is an unofficial site from the bridge over Nixonton Road that is used for launching boats.
Charles Jordan recommended GSG submit a proposed blueways plan to the county ASAP, as the commissioners will begin planning for the development of the hospital property and the parcel across the street soon. Preserving public access to the Fenwick-Hollowell Trail behind the hospital is a priority to GSG, as is establishing a launch site on the Pasquotank River behind COA. These items should be included in the proposal.
Building Local Green Infrastructure
Holly, Marlene, and Nita met with EC Parks and Recreation to discuss ideas and potential grants for green infrastructure, such as a kayak launch and paddle trail. Holly explained local governments do community outreach to determine priorities, which then become part of their budgets. Parks & Rec advised it is about to begin the process of updating the city/county parks plan. Need to be sure GSG participates in the planning process. With the paddle trail, it’s important to have destinations. Destinations can tie into economic development.
Holly also mentioned grants are available to projects using nature-based solutions for stormwater treatment. We could create a kayak launch project as part of those solutions. Could be potential funding a two-for-one type project. One great example is College Park. The bulkhead is dilapidated and the park is frequently flooded. A living shoreline plan could include a recreational component. Should be thinking now about what’s important to connect.
2024 Continuing Projects and Initiatives
Ongoing projects GSG will carry forward into 2024 include: Action Grants; Albemarle Watershed Watch; Community Litter Cleanups; Fenwick-Hollowell Trail Steering Committee; Fowler Alley Beautification; Student Environmental Outreach and Outdoor Education; Community Event Exhibits
2024 Projects Already Completed, Committed to, and Invited to Participate
COMPLETED:
Jan. 13 Litter cleanup of neighboring streets with First Christian Church
Jan. 15 Litter cleanup of Ward and Broad streets with MACU students and faculty
COMMITTED TO:
Feb. 10-17, Plant a Valentine tree giveaway
Feb. 23, 1:30-2:30pm, Northside Elementary litter cleanup and student water quality testing
March 23, 9-11am, Pre-USCG Marathon Downtown Litter Cleanup
INVITED TO PARTICIPATE:
April 12, 9am-Noon – COA Agriculture Day at COA Demonstration Farm. More than 100 middle and high school students are expected. Organizer would like us to do the pollinator exhibit we did in the fall.
June 1 – EC Parks & Recreation Day at Fun Junktion. Event to feature learn to kayak and canoe. Kristal Reed, a GSG member and park employee organizing the event, has asked us to offer our youth water quality testing program.
Sep. 21, 10am-3pm – Camden Heritage Festival. We’ve been asked to exhibit. Bill and Sue Kruse have created a River-Friendly Home exhibit which includes a DIY rain barrel, drain for a rain garden, electric car plug in and many other things homeowners can do to protect our waterways.
2024 Member Suggested Projects
Index cards were handed out to members. Members were asked to write down the top three projects and events they would like to see GSG do in 2024. At our next meeting, we’ll make plans for the projects which have the most support.
Earth Day Event at Fenwick-Hollowell Trail. This year’s theme is Planet vs. Plastics.
Action Grant Outreach to Pre-K. Jeanne suggested and plans to take on this project.
GSG Member Outings. Informal meet-ups. Add more of our “Enjoy” mission.
Fun Family Events at the Fenwick-Hollowell Trail. We did Spiders on the Trail for COA’s Fall Fest. The Trail is open from dawn to dusk for community events and activities.
Recycle Right Community Education Project. Create information materials and get them out to the general public.
Community Art Project. Work with EC Downtown Inc. and local businesses to purchase and decorate cigarette butt receptacles to be placed throughout downtown – like bike racks. Receptacles would have a Love Your River message.
Fowler Alley Rain Barrel. Install a rain barrel. Maybe do a community event on how to make and install a rain barrel. Perhaps Master Gardeners would partner with us. Marlene has a rain barrel she could donate as a giveaway.
Give away kayak: GSG still has a new kayak prize from Love Your River.
Best Ways to Notify, Recruit, and Organize Volunteers (group discussion)
We’ve been using social media and the free version of SignUpGenius. Works well but ads can be annoying. Looking for other ideas.
It was mentioned EC Downtown Inc. has been talking about coming up with a community-wide resource pool of events where people could go to and see all the events that need volunteers.
Also mentioned was the Daily Advance creating a community calendar so everyone could see what everyone else is doing.
Reach out to schools whose students need volunteer hours.
Upcoming Events
Plant a Valentine. Feb. 14, 9-11am ECPC Senior Center, and Feb. 17, 10am-Noon at Pasquotank County Library. We will be giving away our remaining redbud and dogwood seedlings. Volunteers are set.
Northside Elementary Campus Cleanup and Water Quality Testing. Feb. 23, 1:30-2:30pm. The school is having a Club Day where students get to choose from several activities. We will offer two programs: Learn about the importance of water quality with hands-on testing; Campus cleanup and learn how litter harms wildlife and the environment. Volunteers are needed. Please contact Marlene if you are interested in helping with either program.
Pre-USCG Marathon Downtown Litter Cleanup. March 23, 9-11am. Show up at Waterfront Park at 9am. Supplies will be provided. We will hand out supplies and assign volunteers to clean up a specific area of downtown or along the race route.
Other Business
COA has a literary festival on March 6. There will be some activities. One will be a walk and talk on the trail. COA’s theater and music instructor has a grant for an art project to take sounds from plants, trees, and underwater and put it together with music.
Renew your membership for 2024. Fee is $25 for an individual or family. Students and educators are free.
Next GSG meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 11 at the Pasquotank County Library.
A board meeting will be held Monday, March 11 at the Library following the general meeting.