U.S. Representative Heath Shuler (D-District 15) and his director of grants and special projects Kelly Sheehan visited RiverLink on Tuesday, Sept. 21. Executive Director Karen Cragnolin took the pair on a tour of the nearby French Broad River area, showing them areas that have been improved while explaining improvements to come.

Shuler was particularly interested in the economic development going on in the area, saying, "What I see this morning is an opportunity for the community in so many different ways; economic development, protecting our environment and utilizing infill space mitigation. There's an opportunity here for the community to grow, and with the redevelopment of the river, to accent the huge assets we have in our community -- and the French Broad is a huge asset, so we need to accentuate it a lot more through the work being done here by RiverLink and others. I think the opportunities are completely endless. We've gone into small businesses and looked at what can happen with development when you take that green space and include it in the community." 

Cragnolin and Volunteer Coordinator Dave Russell took Shuler on a tour that included stops at the RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza, Blue Ridge Bio-Diesel, Green's Market, and Karen Cragnolin Park.

Rep. Shuler "... asked the right questions and really seems to understand the link between what RiverLink is doing with the greenway system and economic development," said Russell of the visit.

To see more pictures from our tour that day, visit The River Whisperer Blog by clicking here.

1 Eagles Nest Outfitters Doublenest Hammock

1 Ex Officio Give-N-Go® Underwear

1 Weekend Pass to October LEAF event

$100 Jus Running Gift Certificate

2 Entries to 2011 Sunset Stampede

2 Climbmax Bouldering Packages

lobz Primaloft Ear Warmers

Sof Sole Antifriction Socks

Polar Max Women's Pants + Long Sleeve Base Layer

Polar Max Men's Long Sleeve Base Layer

RLX Polo Sport Women's Steamin Shorts

A prize valued at $572!

Don't miss out on your opportunity to win!  There are still two drawings left, October and our Grand Prize raffle in March 2011.  With each raffle ticket purchase, you are entered in all remaining drawings.  To purchase tickets, please stop by the RiverLink office or visit Asheville Adventure Guide.  100% of ticket sales benefit RiverLink.

RiverLink's Hayley Smith Spreads Water Education

RiverLink's Education Coordinator, Hayley Smith, worked with several groups this month, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Toe River Arts Council, local musician Ron Moore, and the Blue Ridge Parkway Park Service during the Toe River Valley Festival. The purpose of the festival is to create a fun and educational experience for fifth-graders in Mitchell and Yancey counties.   

Although the students all knew the Toe River, they did not know it was connected to French Broad via the Nolichucky River. Hopefully, they now not only understand how streams are connected, but also how pollution can travel in a stream system. The students, pretending they were the river, lined up and passed a handclap (flow) down the line (river), playing with speed and turbidity. Then Hayley smeared mud (a pollutant) on the hand of a student who then had to pass it along. During the activity debrief, the discussion moved from how they were logistically connected to the river to how they felt about imagining they were part of the river.  

The students expressed how they felt "yucky" when they received the mud and a mix of relief and guilt as they passed some of the mud onto the next person's hand. At 11 years-old, most students think of water as a source of play. They all agreed they would not want to swim in "yucky" water.  Now the mission is clear: inspire them to keep the water clean.   

The French Broad River Paddle Trail will offer "Leave No Trace" paddle-in camping every 8-10 miles along the river. The trail will protect the river as a resource for recreation, environmental stewardship, education, and economic development, as well as build long-term partnerships with local governing agencies and private landowners. 

In 2006 and 2007, RiverLink sponsored canoe trips down the French Broad, Nolichucky and Pigeon Rivers. This firsthand survey confirmed the need for additional access points and designated camping areas. Since then, RiverLink has been reviewing dam portage ideas and working with the owners, municipalities and communities to uncover the ideas, needs, concerns and constraints with developing such a canoe camping trail. Currently the Pigeon River Fund has granted monies to help the development of the trail through Buncombe and Madison Counties.

Water regulates the Earth's temperature. It also regulates the temperature of the human body, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, cushions joints, protects organs and tissues, and removes wastes.

Soft drinks, coffee, and tea, while made up almost entirely of water, also contain caffeine. Caffeine can act as a mild diuretic, preventing water from traveling to necessary locations in the body.

Helen Keller's first word was "water".

Water leaves the stomach five minutes after consumption. 

In some deserts, water is so uncommon that the native people do not have a name for it. 

facts courtesy of waterbank.com