Library partnerships expand Roundtable's rain barrel program

Partnerships with area libraries provided sites for the Roundtable to hold additional rain barrel workshops.

The Grundy library and the Big Sandy Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) first suggested including a rain barrel workshop in their homesteading series. A big shoutout to Jeanne Presley of the SWCD, who actually made the suggestion. At left is Brian Shortridge who helped so much with the Grundy workshop.

Later, libraries in Chilhowie and Abingdon invited the Roundtable to present rain barrel workshops. All three workshops went well, with participants eager to begin saving rain water. The photo at left was taken in Chilhowie and the one below with Ruth Qualls was taken at the workshop in Abingdon.

Thanks to the VA Department of Environmental Quality for funding these workshops and our subscription to Constant Contact. Thanks to the Town of Chilhowie, the Town of Abingdon, and Toby Edwards for hauling barrels to the workshop sites.

The photo above was taken at the Chilhowie Library workshop.The Garden Club in Chilhowie planned the workshop with the library. Some rain barrels made in Chilhowie will be installed at the library to be used for raised beds to be built by the Club.

North Fork River Road Cleanup successful

Roundtable partners with student ambassadors, Raymon Grace, Emory & Henry on river cleanup

A group of volunteers gathered recently on North Fork River Road for a cleanup organized by the Roundtable with three local student ambassadors of Keep Virginia Beautiful (KVB).

The students applied for inclusion into the student ambassador program which requires two cleanups and one education activity be done by the end of June. This is the first year of this KVB program

Emory & Henry College students from Dr. Ed Davis' class assisted with the cleanup along with some high school friends of the ambassadors. Raymon Grace, who has a history of cleaning up this area, helped coordinate the cleanup. His family helped pick up litter.

The cleanup resulted in the removal of the equivalent of 19 garbage bags, although some items were too bulky to fit into bags.

Many thanks to Raymon Grace and family and the Washington County Sheriff's Department for picking up the bags and bulky items after the cleanup. Thanks so much to KVB for providing wildflower seeds for all our cleanup volunteers this spring.

Thank you to the work of the student ambassadors, Sadie Milhorne from Holston High, and Laci Counts and McKenzie Wise from Patrick Henry High School.

High School students help Roundtable with Living Soils lessons

The Roundtable focused on soil erosion and how to prevent it during Tazewell County Soil and Water Conservation District's Living Soils Week this spring. Similar to the district's Water Wizard Week, which we also participated in, high school students assist groups at the learning stations.



The students first performed a skit about living soils for third graders and then divided up among the

learning stations. The Roundtable had three excellent students one day and two the next.



The Roundtable's lesson was, "Can you see water pollution? This interactive lesson engages students in discovering if they can see pollution in rivers and streams.

Clinch River Youth Summit on Saturday

Upper Tennessee River Roundtable in partnership with the Clinch River Valley Initiative Environmental Education Action Team, will hold the Tenth Annual Clinch River Youth Summit this Saturday, April 13.

UVA Wise will host the event at the Oxbow Center in St. Paul. Youth will learn about various environmental topics from agency speakers.

After the summit, youth will be invited to apply for mini grants for projects at their schools. Schools with mini grants must include a component to teach younger students.

The Youth Summit is funded by an Urban and Community Forest Grant to the Roundtable from the Virginia Department of Forestry and with funding from the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Rain Barrel Workshop set at Garden Faire

The Washington and Russell County Master Gardeners will host a rain barrel workshop conducted by the Roundtable at the Garden Faire Friday, April 19, in Abingdon.

Pre-registration was required and has been full for awhile.

Earth Day to feature rain barrels, trash treasures, skit

Rain barrels and trash treasures will be featured at the Roundtable's table at Abingdon's Earth Day Celebration Saturday, April 20, at the Fields Penn House.

Gently used shoes will be accepted for a fundraiser. Pearly & Friends skit will be performed onstage with student volunteers.

Registration for the rain barrel workshop is full, but check our FaceBook page for posts of future workshops.

Roundtable partners with Tazewell SWCD on April 30 Tour

The Tazewell Soil & Water Conservation District will host a Spring Conservation Tour Tuesday, April 30. The tour will feature several stops to see farm projects.

The tour is part of the Roundtable's grant for work in the Upper Clinch from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

Emergency Responder Workshop set May 18

The Roundtable is partnering with the Wise Emergency Operations Center and Wise County Litter Control for the next Emergency Responder Workshop Saturday, May 18.

The free workshop will be at the EOC in Wise. To register, call Wise County Litter Control at 276-328-1000. Funded by the Tennessee Valley Authority and LG&E KU.

Annual Membership Drive underway

Upper Tennessee River Roundtable's annual membership drive is underway. To join, visit our website. All members due help support all Roundtable programs. Dues are $25/person and $30/family for one year. Many thanks to all the individuals, businesses, soil and water conservation districts and others who have joined.