As we enter into the holiday season, we are reminded of the gratitude we have for our members, donors, and volunteers. Thank you. We all want safe and clean water for drinking, recreating, and enjoying. As we approach the New Year, we are working to continue to expand our programs that support and protect our waterways. But we can’t do it without your help. Please consider making a donation to improve our local waters. Clean water is something we take for granted until we don’t have it. As we continue to combat the Lake Erie algal issue, clean water becomes an increasingly important topic for everyone in our community. Your donation will go towards promoting education, volunteer opportunities, and ensuring strong regional partnerships. Help us to Give Water a Hand.
Any form of donation can help: time, effort, and monetary. Consider becoming a member of PCS and you will receive monthly e-newsletters, special invitations to events, and information about our programs throughout the year. Or, sign up to volunteer for any of our programs including Storm Drain Marking, Get the Lead Out, CYS 365, or our annual Clean Your Streams Day. Make a financial contribution to sustain these programs and help us to continue to work towards our mission of clean, clear, and safe water. Become a Partner today for clean water and make a commitment to ensuring our resources are protected for generations to come.
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2017 has been an exciting year for us at Partners for Clean Streams! We have been working hard all year to improve our local waterways through our volunteer-based programs and educational outreach. This year, we were involved in multiple partnerships focused on water quality issues. PCS participated in 15 outreach events including: UT Earth Day Fest, the Toledo Zoo’s Party for the Planet, Camp Miakonda’s 100th Anniversary celebration, and the National Museum of the Great Lakes Marine Debris seminar. We had two additions to the staff – Paul is the new Program Coordinator and Hannah is the Communications and Outreach Specialist. In 2017, our volunteer events reached 1,282 individuals, cleaned up 90 sites, and removed 29,842 pounds of trash and debris from our waterways.
In the spring, we hosted the Youth Water Quality Patch Day Workshop in which 64 scouts earned their patch through six hands-on water quality activities. We also held our Storm Drain Marking program in the spring. This year, we had 33 volunteers at two sites who passed out 575 door hangers on proper storm drain maintenance and marked 96 storm drains with the phrase “Drains are for rain – flows to waterway.” In April, we partnered with the Glass City Marathon to reduce and recycle waste from the event. We had 20 volunteers who helped recycle 1,800 pounds of cardboard, 800 pounds of glass, 40 pounds of plastic overwrap, and 50 pounds of plastic cups and bottles. A 20 yard dumpster was filled 2/3 full with compostable material that was delivered to Hirzel Farms.
Throughout the summer, we promoted our Get the Lead Out (GLO) and Clean Your Streams 365 programs. Our GLO events attracted 41 volunteers at 4 sites who removed 6.6 pounds of fishing line and lead from our local waterways. They covered over 1.15 miles of riverbank and collected 210 pounds of trash. Our CYS 365 program included 92 volunteers at 5 sites throughout the region. These volunteers removed 49 bags (over 900 pounds of trash) and covered 3.25 miles of riparian area. In August, Boy Scout Troop and Venture Troop 66 helped construct 20 new fishing line recycling bins that will be installed next year near popular fishing sites. PCS rounded off the summer season by inviting members to our Annual Water Quality Boat Cruise. We had 60 individuals who took a leisurely tour of the Maumee River aboard the Sandpiper in downtown Toledo while four water quality experts presented and answered questions about issues affecting Lake Erie and our region’s water systems.
In the fall, we celebrated 21 years of Clean Your Streams Day! This year, we had 910 volunteers spread out across 69 sites in the greater metropolitan Toledo area. They removed 910 bags of debris and 94 tires from our riverbanks. In total, they collected over 23,000 pounds of trash across over 25 miles. We want to thank all of our volunteers throughout the year who made our programs a success!
We want to be your Partner to Give Water a Hand! Follow us on social media to learn more about our programs and presentations. See pictures of our exciting events and connect with us @PCSMaumee (Instagram and Twitter) or follow us at Partners for Clean Streams on Facebook. Check our website for more information and learns way you can do more for our waterways. Thanks for being part of success and 2017 and we hope you’ll continue being a Partner in 2018!
PHOTO ALBUMS:
– CYS 21
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We are still looking for some elves to help wrap presents this month at Bass Pro Shops in Rossford. During certain times in December, we will be stationed near the checkout lanes to offer our help in wrapping newly purchased presents. The proceeds of the gift-wrapping sessions will be donated to Partners for Clean Streams. All skill levels of gift-wrappers are welcome! Too cold for a stream cleanup? Join us at Bass Pro on the following dates to donate your time to a good cause:
- Sunday, December 10th 10-2pm
- Tuesday, December 19th 5-9pm
Please join us for our 11th Annual General Meeting on Thursday, December 14th. We will be reviewing the past year, discussing goals for the next, and presenting our Clean Your Streams 21 Challenge Awards and Clean Stream Partner Award. We will also be celebrating our partnership throughout the community and thanking our annual program sponsors. Meet us at the Fallen Timbers Battlefield Indoor Shelter (not the mall or monument) from 6-8 pm for a social hour with a light meal included. If you have received an invitation through the mail or email, please reply ASAP to let us know if you will be attending. And if you didn’t, please consider this your invite! Call our office at (419) 874-0727 or email [email protected]. Hope to see you there!
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This year, PCS will be hosting its 2017 Annual General Meeting on Thursday, December 14th from 6-8pm. It will be held at the Fallen Timbers Battlefield Rental Facility, Toledo Metroparks, 4949 Jerome Road in Maumee, OH 43537. All Challenge Awards winners from Clean Your Streams Day, PCS partners, and Board Members are invited for a light dinner, slideshow presentation, and an Awards Ceremony. We will review the programs from the past year and present a summary of our work throughout 2017. We will recognize a Clean Streams Partner and our Challenge Award winners from Clean Your Streams Day! There will also be a Board Election so if you are interested in serving on the Board, please get in touch with us as soon as possible. We look forward to this annual event to share what we do and to acknowledge the partners that make our work possible. If you received an invitation by email or snail mail, please RSVP so we know you will be joining us at the Annual General Meeting!
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year … to wrap presents with us at Bass Pro Shops! PCS will be at Bass Pro in Rossford during the holiday season to help shoppers gift wrap purchases for a small donation. All money raised will go directly to supporting our programs. But we need your help to make this event merry and bright! We are scheduled to participate at various times throughout December including: Friday 12/1 from 5-9pm, Saturday 12/2 from 5-8:30pm, Sunday 12/10 from 10-2pm, and Tuesday 12/19 from 5-9pm. If you are able to join us on any of these dates, please call our office (419) 874-0727 or email us at [email protected] so we can schedule you as a volunteer. You do not have to be a “pro” to wrap presents. This is a great way to get into the holiday spirit and donate your time for a good cause!
Give back by enjoying a great sandwich? That’s right! On Wednesday, November 29th, dine in at Potbelly Restaurant in Toledo and 15% of all proceeds will benefit Partners for Clean Streams. Come in from 5 to 9 at the Potbelly at 4038 Talmadge Road and your meal will help support our programs. So, help Give Water a Hand and get yourself a sandwich!
Partners for Clean Streams has several programs available throughout the year. Missed Clean Your Streams Day or want to do it again? Make your own Clean Your Streams Day with our CYS 365 program. We will provide the supplies and data cards for any group interested in cleaning a specific site, any day of the year. Our Reel-in-and-Recycle program provides fishing line bins to parks and private property owners to allow fishermen to properly dispose of their used line. You can Host-a-Bin, Sponsor-a-Bin, or Adopt-a-bin today to help us keep fishing line out of the water and away from wildlife. Get the Lead Out is another waterway conservation program that centers on the removal of fishing line, lead, and lures from the riverbank. Is education more your thing? Each Spring, PCS presents a Youth Patch Day program in which participating Boy and Girl Scout troops can receive a patch for various water-related activities. Following Patch Day, volunteers can participate in our Storm Drain Marking program that encourages responsible use of our community’s storm drains through marking and education. Educational outreach programs allow us to promote our mission of increasing awareness and community stewardship.
These programs are all made possible by volunteers and donations from people like you. If you would like to support PCS and our annual programs, please consider several options for doing so. Become a member and receive updates on our events and much more. Volunteer to participate in our several programs and do your part for the environment and your community. Or, donate to support the continuation of programs, such as Clean Your Streams Day and Get the Lead Out. As a local non-profit, all your donations will go towards ensuring that these programs remain sustainable and available.
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Another successful Clean Your Streams Day! We have compiled all the data cards and tabulated exactly how much trash and debris the 910 volunteers removed from the waterways. This year, there were 69 cleanup sites along the riverbank and one canoe crew, covering 25.57 miles around the greater metropolitan Toledo area. These volunteers worked hard to gather 910 bags of trash equaling 23,789 pounds along with 94 tires! The top ten items found this year were: food wrappers (6910), plastic beverage bottles (5545), cigarette butts (4218), foam pieces (3955), plastic pieces (3807), plastic grocery bags (3338), beverage cans (2618), glass pieces (2348), foam cups and plates (2138), and other plastic bags (2058). The data cards help us to track trends and changes in what is being found in our community each year. This information is then submitted to the International Coastal Conservancy TIDES database, so they can compile the data worldwide. The goal is to be able to effect policy and public change on a local, regional, national, and international scale to help reduce specifically what is being found in our waterways. As society moves towards more single-use plastic containers, they inadvertently end up as litter in the streams as evidenced by all the plastic material found during Clean Your Streams Day. All of our volunteers did an amazing job at reducing the amount of trash in nearby streams and rivers and we hope the information they collected will reduce the need for Clean Your Streams programs in future. CYS is one way in which we can conserve and protect our water bodies for the future. Thanks again to all of our volunteers, planning committee members, and sponsors for making this day possible!
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You’ve heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but what about Giving Tuesday? #GivingTuesdayNWO is a way to spread your generosity to local nonprofits. On Tuesday, November 28th, every dollar donated to Partners for Clean Streams on this day will be matched through a grant program with the Toledo Community Foundation. For more information about this program, click on the #GivingTuesdayNWO icon. You will be able to donate through our website or by check (dated Nov. 28th), but your donation will be matched only on this day! As a local nonprofit, we rely on the generosity of our donors to ensure that our projects and programs remain viable and that we are able to fulfill our mission of bringing environmental outreach to the community. If you are willing to support PCS, please make sure that you mark this day on your calendar so we can maximize your donation. Thank you for being a partner for clean water.
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The trash and debris that is found during Clean Your Streams Day often unintentionally ends up in the waterways through storm drains. Storm drains are designed to carry only rainwater into streams and rivers, yet they often carry detritus, too. Without proper maintenance, trash and leaves can end up clogging our storm drains and creating problems. If you live near a storm drain, it is important to make sure that no trash or other materials are blocking it from functioning properly and inevitably carrying debris into our waters. Wet leaves especially can make it difficult for storm water to flow into the drains and reduce potential flooding. The first step to proper storm drain maintenance is being aware of where they are located. Each Spring, PCS encourages volunteers to assist in marking storm drains, so they are visible in the community and easy to identify.
The falling leaves this time of year are a beautiful sight but can create some confusion as to how to dispose of them. If you are unsure what the protocols are for leaf piles and pickup, check with your municipality for instructions. Some cities and town offer curbside pickup, while other residents are responsible for the dissemination of their property’s leaf piles. Most municipalities offer specific dates for leaf collection pickups that are separate from trash and recycling days.
But before you throw away or burn the leaves in your yard, consider the benefit they can bring your grass in the Spring. Dead leaves are an excellent form of compost and can decrease the need to use fertilizers on your lawn. The leaves on a single shade tree can save you $50 worth of plant food if properly composted. Leaves contain twice as many minerals as manure. With their deep roots, trees absorb the minerals from the soil that then spreads to their leaves. Here are some tips for making the most out of your dead leaves. First, shredding or grinding the leaves help them decompose faster and more efficiently. Adding nitrogen (1 part nitrogen to 4 parts leaves) increases the nutrient absorption for your grass. Turning the shredded leaves every three days helps to keep them from saturating the ground, especially after rain. Also, covering the pile with a plastic sheet traps the warmth and helps retain ideal moisture levels. So don’t let a good thing go to waste, keep some of your leaves now and your lawn will thank you later!
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