The River Current

|| The River Current || March 8, 2005 || mini-edition: volunteer opportunities ||

The mostly monthly e-newsletter of the Charles River Watershed Association

...bringing our backyard river to your door...

************

In this issue:

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

1) 6th Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup

2) Monthly Water Monitoring Program

3) Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race, America’s largest Canoe/Kayak

Race

************

Dear friends of the Charles River,

Spring, she is a comin’! I’ll admit that it might feel like I’m jumping the

gun since they are predicting 3-5 inches of snow tonight, with temperatures

in the twenties tomorrow. But as soon as we turn the corner into March, and

the office starts buzzing with preparation for the Run of the Charles, the

Earth Day Cleanup, and all the other events on the horizon, it’s hard not to

get excited. We hope you’re excited too, because there are plenty of

opportunities to get out on the river this spring and do some great work for

our watershed, while meeting people and having fun at the same time! This

mini-edition of the River Current details how to get out on the river for

CRWA. We look forward to seeing you on the Charles!

For a cleaner Charles,

Ariel Dekovic, Publications Manager

**************

1) Join us for the 6th Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup

Saturday, April 30, 2005 || 9am - 12pm

Please join us for our Annual Earth Day Cleanup when over 1,000 volunteers

pick up trash at different cleanup locations along the entire length of the

Charles River. Site locations include the 23 towns that the Charles flows

through, including Milford, Bellingham, Needham, Dedham, Wellesley, Weston,

Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Cambridge, Brighton, Allston, Brookline and

Boston.

We are looking for businesses, schools, neighborhood and civic groups to

participate in the Cleanup. We’ll help set up a cleanup site convenient for

the group; individuals are also encouraged to sign up. We’ll find you a

site or group to join. To participate or for more information, please

contact Anna Eleria of CRWA at (781) 788-0007 x 225 or via email.

Sara Miller of Massachusetts Community Water Watch (MCWW) at (617) 879-7735

or massart@waterwatchonline.org. This event is sponsored by CRWA, MCWW, the

Charles River Stream Team, Senator Steven Tolman's Office, the Clean Charles

Coalition, the Charles River Conservancy, and the Esplanade Association.

2) Volunteer for our Monthly Water Monitoring Program

CRWA samplers who attended the recent stormwater management hearing held by

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were treated to some complimentary

words by David Webster, EPA’s Chief of the Industrial Permits Branch, who

thanked the samplers, saying that the sampling program is the backbone of

the stormwater management system. CRWA samples collected every month have

contributed greatly to the understanding of the effect of stormwater on the

river. The data allows us to compare the river during wet weather and dry

weather events, making it clear the effect that stormwater has on water

quality. Become a water sampling volunteer, and be a proactive part of the

restoration of the Charles! We have openings for volunteers in Brighton,

Wellesley, Millis and Bellingham. Call Ariel Dekovic at CRWA, 781-788-0007

x200, or reply to this email for more information.

3) SAVE THE DATE - Sunday, April 24, 2005

23rd Annual Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race

Don’t miss CRWA’s biggest event of the year! There are many ways to be a

part of the fun and excitement:

*Organize a team (or a few teams) from your company or neighborhood to be

represented in the Canoe Relay Race – 24 miles are divided up into 5 legs;

the longest is 6.1 miles, the shortest is only 2.5 miles. With two paddlers

in the canoe, you’ll have ten people working together for bragging rights.

Or use the Run of the Charles the way race sponsor NSTAR does - they have

eight teams, from their different offices competing against each other, and

all come together for a huge company picnic at the Finish Line Festival.

*Compete in one of the non-relay races – distances for all abilities

including the 6-Mile, 9-Mile, and 19-Mile canoe and kayak races, or 26-Mile

Professional Flatwater Canoe Marathon ($5000 in prizes).

*Volunteer – join the 100 volunteers who help racers check-in, keep them

going in the right direction while they carry their boats on the 6 portages,

and cheer the racers on. If you’re an experienced paddler, you can help

“sweep” the race from your boat on the river, following the racers to

monitor progress.

*Exhibit your business’s products or services at the Finish Line Festival

where you can market to the paddlers and their families. You can also

sponsor the Run of the Charles.

The Run of the Charles benefits the Charles River Watershed Association.

Entry fees are $40- $55 per person, spectators are free. Get involved!

Contact: (508) 698-6810 or rotc@crwa.org. Look for on-line information and

registration at www.charlesriver.org.

***********

Read CRWA’s monthly column in the Newton Tab. This month’s column discusses

the recent dismissal of Department of Conservation and Recreation

Commissioner Kathy Abbott, and the subsequent debate around parks’ funding

and management. Check out the article here:

http://www.crwa.org/index.php?articles/parksagencyunderfire.html&2

**********