However, we are not done. We still need your help in increasing our funding for next year. While we do get grants for specific programs, that funding is very restricted and we need more unrestricted funding to build programs that increase educational and volunteer opportunities to protect our rivers. December is the best time to give generously to Partners for Clean Streams because we are able to take donated funds and use them to create better programs next spring. So in the midst of your shopping and hustling in the next few weeks, please take time to remember the simple, basic things in life; healthy rivers, clean ecosystems and flourishing wildlife. With your donation, we can make these things a standard for many years to come. We encourage you to give generously by becoming a member of Partners for Clean Streams or with a one-time, no obligation donation. In advance, thank you for your generosity and thank you for your crucial support in over the past year.
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What would you run for? Your health? A Charity? Why not run for clean water and rivers? Now you can! Partners for Clean Streams is the newest charity partner for the Mercy Health Glass City Marathon, which is April 24th, 2016. When you register, you can also choose Partners for Clean Streams as your charity and make a donation to us right then! PCS is also helping the marathon go green! We will help facilitate recycling, composting, and terracycling at the start, at water stops along the race, and at the finish line. We will help recycle plastic bottles, cardboard, and terracycle the GU packs and water cups. The marathon is even going to compost the food waste! If you are not a runner participating in the race, you can still donate directly to us online. When you or someone you know does register, make sure that we, Partners for Clean Streams, are your designated Charity Partner. Check out our donation page and register to Run for Rivers!
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Congratulations goes to Bob Neubert who is the recipient of the prestigious Clean Streams Partner Award. Bob has been with the Lucas County Engineer’s Office since 1999 and works in the Drainage Department, handling drainage related issues in all 11 Townships in the County. He received his Associates Degree in Civil Engineering from Owens Community College. He is a Certified Floodplain Manager, Engineering Technician and Surveying Technician. He has been on the Clean Your Streams planning team since 2004, leading volunteers in removing trash from our rivers. Bob has been involved in improving water quality both professionally as an employee of the County, and personally, as a Boy Scout Leader.
As a very active volunteer leader for the last 12 years in Boy Scouts, he has involved “his boys” in Clean Your Streams, from the morning set up to the last of the clean up at the picnic. He has led a large workshop on water quality for Boy Scouts across the region, leading 180 scouts in Storm Drain Marking. He is always ready to offer up his help and pitch in on all the “behind the scenes” work it takes to effectively engage hundreds of kids in hands on learning about improving water quality. For those reasons, the Board selected Bob as the 2015 recipient of the Clean Streams Partner Award. The award is given to a river hero that demonstrates exceptional dedication to the health of our waterways.
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Thank you to everyone that joined us on Monday night for our Annual General Meeting. We raised hundreds of dollars in Silent Auctions and had a wonderful dinner by Shankland’s Catering in the Jadel Leadership Center at Camp Miakonda. We then celebrated our work from the past year. We had quite a bit to review and celebrate. We also looked to what changes 2016 will bring, including a new board member. Welcome aboard Chris Smalley. Congratulations to all the Clean Your Streams Challenge winners who received awards that evening. Special congratulations goes to Bob Neubert for winning the prestigious Clean Streams Partner Award. This year, the table covers were craft paper and we encouraged our guests to write and draw messages about rivers. We discovered some wonderful artists and inspiration, so thank you! Thank you for everyone in attendance!
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The 2015 Maumee AOC Summit will be held on Thursday, December 10th from 9:30am to 12:30pm at the Wildwood Metropark (Ward Pavilion) at 5100 W Central Ave, Toledo, OH 43615. The Summit will include updates on the activities of the Maumee AOC Advisory Committee (MAAC), as well as presentations on several projects within the Area of Concern. There will also be reports from Ohio EPA, US EPA, PCS and other groups actively working on water quality and watershed projects within the Maumee AOC. Please see the agenda for more details.
Please RSVP by Wednesday, Dec. 9. Send RSVPs to [email protected]. We hope to see you there!
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Want to support our work towards clear, clean, and safe water but want to make a bigger impact with your money than you can alone? Thinking of when to give your annual donation or pay your yearly dues to PCS? If you do it on December 1st, known as Giving Tuesday, the Toledo Community Foundation and the Center for Nonprofit Resources will match your donation. That’s right! Donations made as part of Giving Tuesday will be matched one-to-one, creating an instant return on your investment and making your generous gift stretch even further. But what is Giving Tuesday?
Everyone has heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But Giving Tuesday is a rather new concept for most of the world but is quickly gaining recognition. In fact, this year, December 1, 2015 is the fourth Annual Giving Tuesday. It is a day for everyone to give back to a cause they believe in. Everyone, from current donors to large companies to individuals new to the organization, are encouraged to “give back” on this day. It is about giving back to a cause you believe strongly in, why not give back to clean water? Learn more, get involved and follow the action on our Facebook page and Twitter feed.
We are inviting you to help us educate kids and adults alike, hold volunteer stream cleanup events, and engage stakeholders in large scale projects to improve our waterways in the greater Toledo area. We understand that it’s your donations that help keep us afloat. For Giving Tuesday, we are raising money to ensure fishable and swimmable streams, rivers and lakes for generations to come with a goal of $1,500.
Because your donations will be matched one-to-one, your donations are more powerful and important than ever. This is the best time to make your first contribution to us, to make your yearly donation, or to pay your membership dues. Giving Tuesday Donations to Partners for Clean Streams can be made on December 1st only by going to our donation page or by mailing in your donation to P.O. Box 203, Perrysburg, OH 43552. We are ready for Giving Tuesday, are you?
Just like the rivers we care for, our organization changes with time. Our next big change is that we will be hiring 2 part time staff positions in the coming months. One position, the Communication and Outreach Specialist, will focus on communication and outreach for the organization, reaching out to and working with our partners, volunteers, donors and the public via social media, traditional media, our website and more. The deadline for that postition has been extended until November 15th and asks for a resume and cover letter. The other position, Program Coordinator, will focus on the running annual programs, such as Clean Your Streams Day and Storm Drain Marking and smaller programs we hold throughout the year promoting clean, clear and safe waters. We are no longer accepting applications for this postion at this time. For more details, please check out the Communication and Outreach Specialist job posting. Please share these postings with anyone who might be interested. This is your chance to be part of our PCS team.
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You’re invited to the Maumee Area of Concern (AOC) Summit on December 10th, 9:30am at Wildwood Metropark in the Ward Pavilion. The AOC recently removed one of the impairments – the first to be removed here – so we are on the road to recovery. We will discuss recent projects and updates around Area of Concern. We will hear from other partners who are actively doing work in the area and we want to hear from you. Many partners have been making strides towards improving many of other impairments impacting the wildlife, habitat, and water quality of the lower Maumee River and many direct tributaries to the lower Maumee and Lake Erie in the Maumee Area of Concern but more work remains. Come share your thoughts and ideas with us. If you want to get more involved, watch MaumeeRAP.org for applications to join the 2016 Maumee AOC Advisory Committee soon.
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Each year, we take the time to reflect and celebrate on the work in the past year at our Annual General Meeting. Join us this year, Monday, November 16th at the Jadel Leadership Center at Camp Miakonda. The event begins at 6pm with dinner, review of the year’s programs and an Awards ceremony, including the Challenge Awards from Clean Your Streams Day and the Clean Streams Partner Award. Then, we will elect the Board of Directors for the next year. Throughout the evening, there will be a Silent Auction with proceeds to support Partners for Clean Streams. This event is a great chance to learn more about our programs, hear how to get involved more, support clean, clear and safe water and recognize our River Champions (including yourself). RSVPs are requested so please contact our office at 419-874-0727 or [email protected] if you and a guest plan to attend. We look forward to seeing you there.
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