|| The River Current || April 13, 2006 || Issue XXV || 

The mostly monthly e-newsletter of the Charles River Watershed Association
...bringing our backyard river to your door...

 

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In this issue:

1)       Whole Foods Markets 5% Day on April 25th

2)       Charles River Cleanup

3)       Run of the Charles Canoe & Kayak Race

4)       Find-it & Fix it Shoreline Survey Program still needs volunteers

5)       Help with monthly water monitoring

6)       CRWA announcements on WBOS radio

 

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CRWA has lots going on in April, from our annual Cleanup and Run of the Charles race to the opportunity to volunteer and have an excuse to spend more time outside this spring. Please take a moment to read over these brief announcements - with so many opportunities to get involved with CRWA this month, we hope that you'll take part in one (or many!) of our events.

 

Take care, and enjoy the gorgeous weather!

Rebecca Scibek

New Rivercurrent Editor

 

1) Whole Foods Markets 5% Day     

Whole Foods Market is supporting CRWA through a Shoppers Day - on Tuesday, April 25 shop at any of the ten Whole Foods Market locations in the watershed, and 5% of the day's sales will be donated to the Charles River Watershed Association! The more you shop, the more they give! Tell your friends, and be sure to stop by a Whole Foods on April 25 - CRWA staff and Board members will be at the stores to talk about the organization and answer questions.

 

 2) Charles River Cleanup

In just over two weeks, on April 29^th from 9am to 12noon, the 7^th Annual Charles River Cleanup will take place with more than 1,200 volunteers cleaning the river at over 40 locations. Its not to late to sign up if you'd like to participate - for more information or to help with the cleanup, visit www.charlesriver.org/events/cleanup.html, or contact Marianna Hagbloom at massart@waterwatchonline.org or 617-879-7735.

 

3) Volunteer or Race at the Run of the Charles

Sunday, April 30 is the 24^th Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race, with races for all - teen to seniors, 6-miles to 26-miles! Organize a team for the canoe relay, come cheer for the racers, or volunteer.  Volunteers are needed to staff ten sites along the Charles River, from Dedham to Brighton; tasks include check-in/registration, set-up, boat number spotters, safety and clean-up. Orientation and training are available in advance. Souvenir T-shirts provided for racers and volunteers. Call 508-698-6810 or email rotc@crwa.org. 

 

4) Charles River "Find it and Fix It" Stormwater Program Lower Basin Shoreline Survey

We still need more volunteers to sign up for conducting comprehensive shoreline surveys this spring in the Lower Charles from Galen Street Bridge in Watertown to New Charles River Dam in Boston! These surveys will act as a baseline assessment, noting unmapped outfall pipes, erosion problems and other indicators of NPS pollution problems and help identify and prioritize problems of an urgent nature requiring immediate action.  Training will be May 10th at 6PM at the Honan Allston Library 300 North Harvard St, Allston.

 

For more information on the "Find it and Fix it" program and the volunteer opportunity, contact Pallavi Mande at 781-788-0007 x232 or via email, or visit:

http://www.charlesriver.org/projects/METwMyRWA/METFF.html

 

5) Monthly Monitors Needed

Help CRWA monitor the health of the river.  Become a water quality monitoring volunteer and collect river samples once a month - usually the third Tuesday morning.  Currently we need volunteers at sites in Bellingham, Norfolk, Medfield, Newton, and Boston.  If you live in or near these communities and are interested in volunteering, please contact Dave Kaplan at (781) 788-0007 ext. 224 or via email.

 

6) WBOS radio ads

Listen carefully to WBOS 92.9FM - you might hear a familiar name! CRWA has recorded a radio announcement highlighting our work to protect "The People's River", which will be played throughout the month of April. Many thanks to WBOS radio, who donated 100 sixty-second radio spots to CRWA in collaboration with Whole Foods Markets.