November 2019 Newsletter
Reflections on 30 Years of GVC
This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for our 30th anniversary! What better way to reflect on how GVC has grown over time than a testimonial from someone who has volunteered with our organization for three decades.

"Our greatest success has been the support from all the wonderful people and organizations that have provided resources and/or implemented the on-the-ground activities needed to achieve our mission – Restoring the Lands and Waterways of the Gunpowder Watershed. 

What has made this all happen and will make future expectations real is the growing “family” of the GVC - board, staff and volunteer leaders. Due to our expanded activities, we have hope that we will provide future generations with the natural world that we have been fortunate to have grown up with – Mother Earth."
~Charlie Conklin, 2019 GVC Hero of the Green.
30 Days of GVC
If you're reading this newsletter, you're likely a fan of the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy and its mission. Make sure to follow our 30 Days of GVC on Facebook and Twitter for fun facts about our organization. Share with friends too!

Feeling inspired to support clean water in your watershed? Be part of our "$30,000 for 30 Years" campaign. When you make a tax-deductible contribution, we will DOUBLE your donation through December 31, 2019.
Make Waterways BETTER in Your Neighborhood
This fall, the GVC encourages everyone to take time to make our waterways BETTER ! We are hosting our fall clean-up campaign, Better Waterways, on Saturday, November 23 at multiple locations within the watershed.

While all of our stream clean-up events are full, you can still make a difference! Join us in spirit on November 23rd and take 15 minutes to pick up trash in your immediate neighborhood. Your local storm drains will thank you.
Upcoming Calendar of Events
As cooler weather creeps in, our outdoor volunteer opportunities are wrapping up for the year. Tree Maintenance will be ongoing until the ground freezes!

Keep an eye on our online calendar of events this winter as we begin to announce our 2020 programs. Did you know that April 22, 2020 marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day ? We hope you choose to celebrate with the GVC!
Saturday, November 23 : Tree Maintenance
Saturday, November 30 : Tree Maintenance
Saturday, December 7: Tree Maintenance
Saturday, December 14 : Tree Maintenance
Saturday, December 21 : Tree Maintenance
Saturday, December 28: Tree Maintenance
Make a Difference
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle ! Earlier this month, we had 20 participants on our tour of the Baltimore County Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Cockeysville. Did you know that fewer than 50% of cardboard boxes are being recycled? Any boxes that are included in your garbage pickup will NOT be removed for recycling.

Baltimore County recently released its updated 2019-2020 Reuse Directory. It's a must have for people who want to keep items out of the landfill!
The GVC was proud to be an event sponsor of the 14th Annual Chesapeake Watershed Forum in Shepherdstown, WV. This year's theme was "Better Together: Diverse and Innovative Collaboration for the Chesapeake Watershed." We were honored to share our experience growing the Clear Creeks Project in a session on "Small Organization Strategies for Large-scale Restoration." Another GVC collaboration was featured at the poster session. Maryland Presbyterian Church's former Chesapeake Conservation Corps member, Justin, shared his experience working with GVC to install rain barrels and create a rain garden at the church.