Monday, August 29, 2022

September Newsletter and Events

  • Upcoming Events
    • 9/15 - Thursday - Bi-monthly Meeting: Monarch Butterflies
    • 9/17 - Saturday - International Coastal Cleanup by Canoe/Kayak
    • 10/6 - Thursday - Chesapeake Conservation Conference and Annual Environmental Awards Luncheon
  • Other News
    • Fall Events Poster
    • Indian River Week in October
    • 9/9 - 10/22 - Linger A While Exhibit at the Cuffee Library
    • Need Volunteers
    • Conservation Landscaping
Upcoming Events

Bi-monthly Meeting: Monarch Butterflies

Date: Thursday, September 15, 7 pm

Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive

We will start our fall season with a presentation from the Butterfly Society's Karen and Steve McCurdy.  They will be talking about Monarch Butterflies, which we should be seeing in our gardens around now.   They'll bring along some live caterpillars as part of their demonstration.

We'll also have the latest community news and updates!

International Coastal Cleanup by Canoe/Kayak

Date: Saturday, September 17, 12 pm to 3 pm

Location: On the Indian River, see below

This is a "Bring Your Own Boat" event.  If you plan to participate, it is important to let us know so that we can plan appropriately and provide additional information on logistics and where we will gather.  

If you have a boat but nowhere to put in along the river, contact us to make arrangements on where to put in.  If you'd like to participate but have no boat, contact us as we may have a limited number of extra spots on other boats.  Contact us at info@friendsofindianriver.org

If you are participating with our group, review and complete the online safety release form at least one day before the event: https://forms.gle/J3sXGzT1P65rp3ZN8

Chesapeake Conservation Conference and 39th Annual Environmental Awards Luncheon

Date: Thursday, October 6, 9 am to 2 pm

Location: Chesapeake Conference Center, tickets required

After a two-year break, the Chesapeake Conservation Conference and 39th Annual Environmental Awards are back this October.  The Conference will be in the morning and focus on Urban Forestry with a panel discussion by local Urban Foresters and a presentation on Building Resiliency with Green Infrastructure.  

After the morning sessions, the Environmental Awards Luncheon will honor local individuals, community groups, schools, and businesses for their outstanding environmental projects.  Karen Firehock from the Green Infrastructure Center will deliver the keynote address “Can the Urban Forest Help Us Adapt to a Changing Climate?”

The Friends of Indian River will be receiving the Adult Community Organization Award during the Awards Luncheon.  

Tickets for the Conference and Luncheon are $50; the Luncheon only is $35.  There are also sponsorship opportunities.   Registration closes 9/15.  Learn more and register at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/conservationconference



Please see and share our fall events poster - click for larger image




Indian River Week

We're still planning to celebrate our community during the week of October 14th for our first ever Indian River Week.

- On Saturday, October 15, the Friends of Indian River will host a History Walk around Norfolk Highlands and Oaklette to talk about the rich history of the area.
- On Saturday, October 22, we'll be doing our quarterly cleanup along Indian River Road, around the Indian River Oaklette Bridge, and the future Blue Heron Landing Park.   We'll also have a team doing any necessary gardening around the new landscaping at the bridge.  

It is also Chesapeake Restaurant Week and we expect some of our local eateries to be highlighting their menu during this annual event.  If you are a restaurant wanting to sign up for restaurant week, visit  https://www.visitchesapeake.com/crwinfo/ for details.

Do you have an event going on in our area from October 14 to 22?  Let us know and we'd love to help advertise it.  

Linger a While: The Art of Ken Wright

From 9/9 through 10/22, the Cuffee Outreach and Innovation Library at 2726 Border Rd, will have an exhibition by a nationally acclaimed artist whose work hung in the White House under both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.  Learn more at https://chesapeakelibrary.libnet.info/event/7059857

Need Volunteers

We need volunteers to help with weeding at the new landscaping at the Oaklette Indian River Bridge and at the native plant garden at Indian River Park.   We also need volunteers to help with removing invasive plants at the Park.  There are also other volunteer opportunities listed on our website at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/volunteer.html.  If you can help out on any of these, please contact us at info@friendsofindianriver.org

Conservation Landscaping

Interested in improving the natural value of your property?  Would you like to add beauty while helping the environment?  The Elizabeth River Project is still offering matching funding for installing living shorelines (up to $5000), buffers (up to $2000), or maybe a Rain Garden (up to $2000). The Friends of Indian River has limited funds to kick in up to another $250 toward these projects in the Indian River section of Chesapeake.  Learn more at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/conservation-landscaping-program.html

We always encourage you as an individual to pick up any stray litter that you come across along our roads, parking lots, and in our parks.  Every piece of trash collected is one less that causes harm to wildlife in our natural areas and waterways.  And just as important, reduce your use of single use packaging to not create litter in the fir

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