Federation Blog

On September 4 and 5th Quiet Waters Park in Anne Arundel County Celebrated its 20th Birthday and we were there to help celebrate.  We were part of the touch a truck/boat event for the guests;  this was a wonderful outreach.  I met so many children that have never touched or been on a boat - so they were very excited when they were able to come aboard and honk the horn, pretend to pull up the oyster cage and touch the anchor.  Amazing to see their eye light up!

Arianna Muller is showing off the Maryland Grow Oyster cages next to our patrol and monitoring boat.

On December 17th, the County Council will select a replacement for former Councilman (now Mayor) Cohen.  The Federation, along with several other organizations, will be co-sponsoring a candidate forum at Annapolis Middle School on Wednesday, December 10th at 7pm.  Below are the responses for each candidate to questionnaire provided by the County Council and a resume for each.

• Cynthia Carter - Questionnaire
• Charles Ferrar - Questionnaire
• John Giannetti - Questionnaire
• Lisa Hillman - Questionnaire
• Michael Miller - Questionnaire
• William Moulden - Questionnaire

Please join us Wednesday night for the forum.

NEEDED, small outboard motor

As part of our oyster restoration efforts I am looking for a donation of slightly used or new 15 to 20 HP outboard for the South River Federation's 18 Foot Monarch John boat.  The John boat is on "permanent" loan to us from the US Fisheries and Wildlife Service.  This would greatly help with our upcoming Oyster Gardening events and transportation into our more shallow creeks where Remedy can not go.  Please contact me or Cindy Wallace at:

Office: 410-224-3802

Diana's Cell:  443-534-2847

 

So that our residents know where their water is going, we are painting the stormwater drainages with our "South River Drainage" sign.   The first residential community was Gingerville.  With the help of St. Andrew's Day School's South River Riverwatchers and their teacher Nan Hathaway, we start in their community of Gingerville.  I hope to "paint the watershed" soon in other areas.  If you would like to help with a painting in your neighborhood please contact me or Cindy Wallace.

Diana

 This morning, over 25 Federation volunteers cleaned-up along Chesterfield Road, in the Bacon Ridge Branch area, and along the headwaters of Church Creek in Annapolis.  The picture below is of the haul at Church Creek, which included about 50 yards (over a full dumpster) of metal and other recyclables (including a couple of shopping cars), about 10 yards of trash, and between 50 and 60 tires.  Thanks to all the volunteers who came out and made the event a success and to the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works for providing the dumpsters.

 

On Saturday February 28th, over 200 members, volunteers, and friends of the Federation gathered to have a good time and raise funds for the organization.

Board President Kincey Potter and Board Member Don Riddle enjoy the festivities.

Owen Cook won the Federation's 2008 Volunteer of the Year Award for his tireless work helping with Riverkeeper responsibilities between the departure of Drew Koslow and the arrival of Diana Muller, as well as for his extensive help with IT support for the Federation.  Thanks again, Owen!

 

Stephen Hult of the London Towne Community was named the Federation's first ever "South River Hero" for all of his work to help restore living shorelines in the community.  Overall, he has helped serve as project manager for over 1/2 mile of shoreline restoration, bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant resources to the river.

Today over 30 volunteers from the South River Federation, the Anne Arundel Sierra Club, and the community-at-large worked in the headwaters of Church Creek to pull out tires, discarded road signs, and several tons of garbage from the stream valley.  Special thanks to all who volunteered and helped out.

 Thanks also to the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works who hauled all the garbage off to the landfill.