Dear Friend of Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore of Virginia,
All of us with Waste Watchers look forward to the coming year with great excitement and continuing to provide the Shore with programs aimed at reducing litter and waste, and encouraging reuse and recycling.
During 2017, your dues, donations, and/or volunteer efforts allowed us to accomplish the following:
- Launch our “Operation Our Clean Roads” initiative, helping interested residents organize roadside litter removal events throughout the Shore, whether near their own neighborhoods or in other areas of interest to them, without the need to commit to formal adoption of the roadsides cleaned. We negotiated this special arrangement with VDOT, and Waste Watchers and VDOT provide the materials needed. Our goal for 2018 is to increase the number of these events, which are usually set for a Saturday morning, and it takes only the initiative of individuals like you to do exactly that.
- Work with the Town of Saxis to plant a primarily native garden at their public pavilion and marina, with a grant received from Keep Virginia Beautiful.
- Collaborate with partners through the Accomack County Solid Waste Committee, of which we are members, and more.
- With our GreenWorks partners at the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission (A-NPDC) and with the cooperation of VDOT we saw the innovative Sponsor-A-Road Pilot Program start-up and grow so far to three Sponsors of paid removal of litter from our scenic byways, including Eastern Shore Watershed Roundtable, Tyson Foods, and Southside Harley Davidson.
- Initiate the monthly GreenNews to announce meetings and present relevant current events and local information.
- Complete the fourth annual Keep America Beautiful Roadside Litter Survey.
- Work with Northampton and Accomack County Schools to run the seventh annual Essay Contest, where students are able to read their essays on WESR.
- Offered recycling services for the Chincoteague Seafood Festival and other events.
- Coordinate with Eastern Shore Community College to hire the first Waste Watchers Intern, a program we hope to be able to continue each semester with ESCC.
- Participated in various public outreach and education events in both Counties.
- Partner with the Eastern Shore Resource Conservation and Development Council for the upcoming Third Annual Exmore Earth Day Festival - Please come out April 21st!
The many programs and services we provide would simply not be possible without the participation of many of you. Thank you! For those of you who can become more involved, please do so! The only way we can do more is with more volunteers, whether for a one-off event or ongoing. Please complete the member survey to let us know how you’d like to help!
Your answers on the linked survey will provide us with valuable information and insights about how Waste Watchers can best serve the Shore. Additionally, we are looking to fill leadership positions, and this will allow us to schedule meetings in a way to allow the maximum amount of member attendance and participation.
Finally, please visit the Square link above (or send a check by mail) to contribute the annual $10.00 dues plus any additional gift that you’d like to make to Waste Watchers. Your gift right now, at the start of 2018, will help make it possible for us to continue to offer the programs you’ve read about above, and grow stronger to do more for the Shore!
Sincerely,
