Dear River Lovers,

News just in -- our audit documents that 87 cents of every dollar you donate is used for projects -- only 13 cents is used for overhead. We leverage your tax deductible gifts!   

This month we are honored to feature a message from Pam Turner, RiverLink's 2011 annual fund chair. Pam is a native Ashevillian and long-time community activist who has served with distinction on just about every non-profit board in the county.

Pam's letter:  

Driving to Lee Edwards High School (now Asheville High) from North Asheville every school day took me along Riverside Drive. In those days it was a cacophony of sounds and smells --- none of them good. A rendering plant, a landfill, junkyards -- all types of heavy industry, all things no one wanted near them. Once in awhile there was a glimpse of the French Broad River, which wasn't even thought of as an asset to be used and protected. It was a place best forgotten and avoided.

The French Broad River is an important destination for our entire region. Both my children have run in the Turkey Trot Thanksgiving mornings at Carrier Park. My son-in-law plays and coaches field hockey there. My grandchildren love to ride their bikes and my daughters-in-law walk their dogs along the trails, safe from cars. My husband Jim and I love to visit the artist studios and enjoy music or a meal along the river.   We all drink the

Pam Turner addresses the crowd at RiverLink's 2011 Donor Party

water.

Coming home, rediscovering and honoring the major role the river plays in our lives in so many ways has been the result of lots of hard work by many volunteers, businesses and RiverLink. RiverLink has been and continues to be the inspiration and creative energy -- the catalyst -- bringing all these pieces together. This year, I am pleased to serve as Chairperson of RiverLink's annual fund. I have proudly served on the RiverLink board, and a decade ago, served as board chair. The energy and inclusiveness of this organization, along with its creativity, have made RiverLink the "go to" organization for all things river. Our momentum is growing and we have more amazing things to accomplish. Over the next year RiverLink will be reclaiming a junkyard using plants to eat and absorb 50-plus years of oil contamination, reclaiming stream banks, building new greenways, land-banking riparian lands, becoming accredited as a land trust and educating over 5,000 children about the importance of water to every aspect of our lives - living, working and playing.

Please join me and my family by lending your support to this amazing home-grown organization. Our goal is to raise $200,000 for operating funds by June 30, 2011. Every dollar raised through our annul fund is leveraged ten times over through grants and projects that make our community more livable and a thriving place to work, live and play!

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Pam Turner

2011 Annual Fund Chair RiverLink

Make your tax deductible donation now.

Our regular volunteer orientation sessions will take place at the RiverLink office (170 Lyman Street) on Wednesday, April 13 at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Dave Russell at 252-8474, ext. 11 and come learn more about RiverLink.

The Riverfront Bus Tour is a week early this month - April 14. Come see the past, present and future of the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers in the Asheville area. It's free for RiverLink members, $15 for others, and leaves from the Chamber of Commerce at 36 Montford Street. Contact Dave Russell at 252-8474, ext. 11 to make your reservation.

As part of Asheville's Earth Day Celebration on April 16 from 11-7 at Pack Square Park, RiverLink will be tabling and offering a volunteer opportunity that morning from 9 - 11. The festival features live music, local beer, and a host of environmental groups. We need some help with the volunteer morning - we'll be removing invasives from a nearby raingarden. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Dave Russell at 252-8474, ext. 11 and come hang out with us.

Diamond Brand Outdoors is looking for volunteers to help with a French Broad River River cleanup at Ledges Whitewater River Park on Sunday, April 17,  12-3 pm.  Meet at Ledges Whitewater Park parking.  To volunteer contact Gary Eblen at 684-6262, or geblen@diamondbrand.com.   Please wear long pants and closed-toed shoes.

RiverLink is holding its own Earth Day extravaganza on Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the RiverLink Performance and Sculpture Plaza (119 Riverside Drive, across from Warehouse Studios). Interested in volunteering? Let Dave know - 252-8474, ext. 11. We have a full slate of activities going on that day:

• Make your own rainbarrel clinic -- RiverLink will provide all the parts and tools and help homeowners assemble their own rain barrels for $30. We'll also have rainbarrels for sale ($50) and barrels to take home ($10).
• Neighborhood Big Draw - We will have mountains of art supplies, canvas and paper available for kids and adults to draw or paint a scene of the River or the River Arts District.
• Computer and electronics recycling - We're inviting the public to bring old computer equipment and cell phones (no TVs) for recycling.
• Swap meet - Reduce the clutter around your house by bringing it for trading with others. We'll have some tables set up, but have no Dumpster service, so be prepared to haul away what you don't swap.
• Free hot dogs for kids!
• Float trips from the Asheville Outdoor Center to Jean Webb Park.
• Events committee member Josh Purdy will make things out of recycled materials
• We'll also have white pine seedlings to give to the first 50 kids who show up to plant in their own yards!

The Second Annual French Broad River Classique Canoe & Kayak Race is April 23 and 24, beginning at the Blantyre access and ending the next evening at the Asheville Outdoor Center.   RiverLink is providing many of  the prizes again this year and our staff  will provide an overview of the paddle trail and other projects and our  latest doings. Learn more at http://fbcanoeracing.org/indexclassique.html

The French Broad River Festival is happening April 29, 30, and May 1 at Hot Springs Campground in Hot Springs. We have all the volunteers we need. There's great music and outdoor gear and raffles and vendors. See http://www.frenchbroadriverfestival.com/ for more information.

Join us along with Second Gear, an Asheville outdoor gear consignment shop located in West Asheville and Friends of Hominy. There is  a cleanup of Hominy Creek, both waterborne and on foot, on May 1. Contact Dave Russell of RiverLink at 252-8474, ext. 11 for more information on that.

The Fins & Gills Fishing Tournament takes place on May 14, from 10 - 2. at the Asheville Outdoor Center (AOC) with a variety of activities for the whole family -- Clear Channel, AOC and RiverLink  are presenting kayak and raft rides, live music, volleyball, gem mining, fishing classes, a casting contest, a playground and horse shoes. There will be hot dogs, chips and drinks available for lunch. We will also have 100 free fishing rods and reels on a first come first serve basis  to give away to our younger RiverLinkers.

And finally, The Wine Studio of Asheville has named RiverLink as their special MAY  non-profit to receive a portion of from their Winesday program. Taking place every Wednesday in May from 5-8 p.m, tt is a chance for the wine lovers of Asheville to get together, socialize, and try new and exciting wines from around the world. Come raise a toast and benefit The French Broad River watershed  as a destination where everyone can live, work and play   on May 4, 11, 18, 25.

RiverLink members need look no further than the banks of the French Broad River for a perfect cheap date this Summer, as RiverLink offers a new entertainment venue - movies under the stars, by moving water. Thanks to modern technology, we have an outdoor movie screen and will be hosting a film series this Summer.  From 1904 until the 1916 flood this community  regularly enjoyed movies on the river at the old Riverside Park at the Pearson Bridge.  Drop by the office and we will show the old movie screen!

We're inviting our members and donors to bring a picnic blanket, food, beverages and families to the Riverside for 6 films this Summer. The evenings will offer a mix of family movies and adult (no, not that kind of "adult") movies.

Dates and movies

July 16: "Homeward Bound" In this remake of a Disney classic, two dogs and a cat trek across America encountering all sorts of adventures in the quest to be reunited with their owners. 

July 30: "Rivers & Tides" Natural artist Andy Goldsworthy is the subject of this documentary, offering an inside look into his ephemeral art pieces.

August 6: "An American Tail" An animated Disney about a young Russian immigrant mouse who gets separated from his family and must relocate them while trying to survive in a new country.

August 27: "The Kid" In Charlie Chaplin's first full-length movie, The Little Tramp finds an abandoned baby in an alley and takes care of him. As the child gets older, he becomes the Tramp's partner in crime. Welfare services attempt to take the boy away, resulting in a desperate search and an emotional reunion.

September 3: "Pocahontus" A Disney animated film based on the known history and also the folklore and legend that surround the Native American woman Pocahontas, featuring a fictionalized account of her encounter with Englishman John Smith and the settlers that arrived from the Virginia Company.

September 24:"Flow" Irena Salina's award-winning documentary builds a case against the growing privatization of the world's dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel.

Come join us down by the River. We'll gather at 119 Riverside Drive,  RiverLink's sculpture and Performance Park right across the street from the Cotton Mill Studios. Contact RiverLink's Dave Russell for more information, directions, etc. -- (828) 545-9099 or dave@riverlink.org. 

On Saturday, March 19, Asheville on Bikes (AoB) hosted a community ride from City Hall through town. Utilizing Asheville's bike lanes and greenways, over 150 participants made their way to West Asheville. 

The group was then introduced to the newest extension of the greenway system -- The Waller Tract -- along Hominy Creek, stopping for a brief celebration and ceremonial tube cutting. The greenway extension will add approximately

Neighborhood activist Brother Hug helps to cut the ribbon to open the Waller Trac

a mile of length and brings the opportunity to develop over 2.5 miles of linkages into West Asheville and the Farmers Market. 

Funders for this new greenway include Buncombe County,  the City of Asheville, RiverLink who seved as fiscal agent and  donor as well as  the Blue Ridge Bike Club. 

Gordon Smith, City Council member, joined in for the ride and had  great praise to the community efforts, thanking the  the donors.

Dan Hitchcock, RiverLink Board Vice-Chairman, spoke highly of the support from the community, thanked them for the work and support they have put forth to help make this extension become reality.   

The City of Asheville and Buncombe County each put forth 40 percent of the purchase cost. RiverLink partnered with the Blue Ridge Bicycling Club, serving as the fiscal agent and matching funds raised through the Pedal Links project and individual donations, providing 20 percent of the purchase price.  

BrotherHug, one of the many neighborhood  forerunners in building community support, developed "Friends of Hominy Creek" and was given the honors of the ceremonial tube cutting. RiverLink and Second Gear are hosting a cleanup for the "Friends of Hominy Creek" on May 1, 2011, with other cleanups planned for the future.  call us at 252-8474, ext 11  to become involved.

Riverlink's education department is proud to introduce two new programs to our water education program. As part of an outreach to our local Latino community, we have developed a Spanish option for one of our most popular and versatile programs: the EnviroScape. Thanks to the help of Carlos Espinosa, a recent addition to RiverLink's wonderful volunteer base, you may now schedule to have RiverLink lead EnviroScape in Spanish or as a bi-lingual lesson.

In addition to our Spanish expansion, we have also developed a new program designed to get students thinking further about water's role in our lives. Our new Ethnohydrology Map lesson plan connects water to the many facets of human experience on a local and global level. Students will present how water effects culture, industry, our basic needs.  

RiverLink's Dave Russell poses with Kim and some of her loot

1 NEMO Go Go Tent

1 High Gear Axio Max Moss Altimeter Watch

1 Eagles Nest Outfitters

DoubleNest Hammock

1 Earthsports Design Fanny Pack

Short-Sleeve Shirt

1 Ex Officio Women's Go-To®

Sleeveless Dress

1 Ex Officio Give-N-Go® Underwear

1 Watershed ZipDry Largo Tote

1 Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway Guide Book

Sof Sole Antifriction Socks

Congratulations Kim and thank you for supporting RiverLink. 

Buncombe County Soil & Water Conservation invites you to participate in an upcoming Project WET workshop. CEU CREDITS Available! 

 What is Project WET?

This Project WET workshop is geared toward teachers, and other youth leaders interested in teaching about water. This workshop is fun, hands-on, action-packed, and informational. WET is for anyone interested in natural resources and environmental education and is especially useful for public and private school teachers in grades K-8. The workshop offers educators exciting new activities to use in teaching science, math, language arts, social studies, and environmental studies. Each participant will receive a copy of the Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide.

Location: Newfound Community Center, 3 Morgan Branch Rd. Leicester, NC (Asheville, NC)

Date:       June 21^st & 22^nd 2011

Time:       Tuesday:  9:00am -4:00pm & Wednesday 8:00am - 12:00pm

Registration:  Formal Educators open January 6^th & non-formal educators open March 1^st email renee.ray@buncombecounty.org

More Information: http://www.ncwater.org/Education_and_Technical_Assistance/Project_WET/  CEU Credits and EE Credits

Why Project WET?

Project WET has long-standing experience in water resources education, a proven methodology and a voice through its robust worldwide network of partners.

These ActionEducation projects contribute to a healthier local environment and economy. On a worldwide scale, Project WET helps students recognize the relationship between the availability of clean water and global stability.

Students, teachers, community and business leaders of diverse cultures, often with different learning styles, use Project WET. Tested with thousands worldwide, Project WET materials have proven successful because they are:

• interactive.
• multisensory.
• adaptable.
• contemporary (teaching 21st century skills).
• relevant.
• solution-oriented  
• accurate.
• science-based.
• measurable.

EPA Proposes First National Standard for Mercury Pollution from Power Plants

"Mercury and Air Toxics Standards" Represent One of Strongest Health Protections from Air Pollution Since Passage of Clean Air Act

WASHINGTON - In response to a court deadline, today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first-ever national standards for mercury, arsenic and other toxic air pollution from power plants.  The new Power Plant Mercury and Air Toxics Standards - which eliminate 20 years of uncertainty across industry - would require many power plants to install widely available, proven pollution control technologies to cut harmful emissions of mercury, arsenic, chromium, nickel and acid gases, while preventing as many as 17,000 premature deaths and 11,000 heart attacks a year. The new proposed standards would also provide particular health benefits for children, preventing 120,000 cases of childhood asthma symptoms and about 11,000 fewer cases of acute bronchitis among children each year. The proposed standards would also avert over 12,000 emergency room visits and hospital admissions and 850,000 fewer days of work missed due to illness.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/powerplanttoxics/

Wednesday, April 13 at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the RiverLink offices -- Volunteer orientation sessions. Contact Dave Russell at 252-8474, ext. 11 and come learn more about RiverLink.

Thursday, April 14, 11:45 a.m. - 2 p.m. -- RiverLink's Waterfront Bus Tour of the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers in the Asheville area. Free for RiverLink members and leaves from the Chamber of Commerce. Contact Dave Russell at 252-8474, ext. 11 to make your reservation.

Saturday, April 16 from 11-7 at Pack Square Park, Asheville's Earth Day Celebration -- RiverLink will be tabling and offering a volunteer opportunity that morning from 9 - 11. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Dave Russell at 252-8474, ext. 11 for more information.

Sunday, April 17,  12-3 p.m. -- Diamond Brand Outdoors is looking for volunteers to help with a French Broad River cleanup at Ledges Whitewater River Park.  Meet at Ledges Whitewater Park parking.  To volunteer contact Gary Eblen at 684-6262, or geblen@diamondbrand.com.    

Saturday, April 23, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the RiverLink Performance and Sculpture Plaza (119 Riverside Drive, across from Warehouse Studios).- RiverLink's Earth Day extravaganza (see all the details in the article in this newsletter) on Saturday. Interested in volunteering? Let Dave know - 252-8474, ext. 11. Come make your own rain barrel and more!

Saturday, Sunday April 23 & 24 -- The Second Annual French Broad River Classique Canoe & Kayak Race begins at the Blantyre access and ends the next evening at the Asheville Outdoor Center.  Learn more at http://fbcanoeracing.org/indexclassique.html

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, April 29, 30, and May 1 The French Broad River Festival is happening at Hot Springs Campground in Hot Springs. Great music and outdoor gear and raffles and vendors. See http://www.frenchbroadriverfestival.com/ for more information.

Sunday, May 1 - Hominy Creek Cleanup -- Join us and Second Gear, an Asheville outdoor gear consignment shop and Friends of Hominy are doing a cleanup of Hominy Creek, both waterborne and on foot. Contact Dave 252-8474, ext. 11 for more information on that.

Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Asheville Outdoor Center -- The Fins & Gills Fishing Tournament at the Asheville Outdoor Center with a variety of activities for the whole family. Contact Dave at 252-8474, ext. 11 for more information.

Wednesdays, May 4, 11, 18, 25, 5 - 8 p.m.  -- Windesdays at The Wine Studio of Asheville. RiverLink will receive a portion of proceeds from their Winesday program. Come taste some wine and support RiverLink!

Husband-wife team sweep Whitewater U.S. Open 

RiverLink and  LinkingWaters celebrate, educate ... and eat hot dogs!

Michelle Smith, the driving force and homeowner involved in RiverLink's LinkingWaters project, is having a hot dog cookout at her house (124 Choctaw Street) on Saturday, May 22 from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. to celebrate and educate. LinkingWaters is an innovative whole-systems approach to reclaiming water for creating green jobs, growing fresh, healthy food in urban neighborhoods and protecting the French Broad River.

Smith is inviting her neighbors and anyone else interested in learning about simple steps any homeowner can take to reclaim the storm water running off their property and keep sediment and pollution out of the French Broad River.

In addition to the cookout, there will be a tour of the property to check out the features the LinkingWaters team has installed.

The features and methods included at the site include:

    * Curb restoration with a berm

    * A diversion swale

    * Infiltration berms and swales

    * Myco-infiltration gabions (using mushrooms to filter out pollution!)

    * Crescent Berms

    * Soaker works and collection drains

    * Kudzu removal

    * Planting a blueberry guild and a pecan tree

    * Sheet mulching

Anyone interested in attending or more information on the May 22 LinkingWaters cookout can contact Michelle Smith at 230-3845 or via e-mail at themichellesmith@gmail.com.

Saturday morning, March 19, 2011 RiverLink Environmental Education Coordinator Hayley Smith and Watershed Resources Manager Nancy Hodges joined other chemists, biologists, ecologists, and computer scientists to meet with over 75 Girl Scouts from around the region. The Girl Scouts developed a program to introduce girls of every age to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). 

Valerie Wooten, Program manager for the Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont organized the college and career fair at UNC-Asheville.Hayley and Nancy spoke with over 50 girl scouts introducing them to hydrology, water quality, and the French Broad River Basin.  (http://www.girlscouts.org)