CHEARS!CHEARS Logo

Chesapeake Education, Arts, and Research Society

A nonprofit organization dedicated to all who share the Chesapeake watershed environment.

Greetings!

 

The following is from the U.N. Environmental Sabbath Program that moved me in anticipation of the many celebrations that occur in the month of July around the world. It is a celebration of our interdependence with all living beings and our Mother...Earth! 

 

We join with the earth and with each other.  

To bring new life to the land

To restore the waters

To refresh the air

 

We join the earth and with each other.  

 

To renew the forests

To care for the plants

To protect the creatures

 

We join with the earth and with each other.

 

To recreate the human community

To promote justice and peace

To remember our children

 

We join with the earth and with each other.  

 

We join together as many and diverse expressions of one loving mystery: for the healing of the earth and the renewal of all life.  

 

Peace & Understanding, 

Kim Walsh ~ Executive Director  

 

Welcome Concetta Laskey!

Chesapeake Conservation Corps Volunteer

Concetta Laskey

 

The Chesapeake Bay Trust's Chesapeake Conservation Corps is an initiative program that provides service-learning opportunities and green job training for young people through environmental and energy conservation projects. This initiative pairs young adults with non-profit organizations, local governments, and other types of Host Organizations that can provide hands-on environmental, leadership and technical training opportunities. The Volunteer receives a stipend for a one-year term of service. CHEARS and Calvert Marine Museum jointly applied and was selected as a host organization for one of the twenty volunteers that were selected by the CBT. Below is a brief summary of Concetta's background and her interests.  

 

Concetta Laskey is from the Philadelphia area and has a degree in Earth Science Education and a minor in History. She looks forward to working in an informal classroom setting and wants to further CHEARS and Tom Wisner's vision of working together with the Earth & conserving the Bay & its cultures. She is also excited to work with Tom's collection to delve deeper into who he was as a scientist, educator, & person to better enact his vision. The digital archive tool will allow to reach outside of typical geographic boundaries and limitations for outreach education beyond the Chesapeake Bay area! 

 

"As an Earth Scientist and Educator, the Earth is my classroom. As much as I enjoyed teaching my students last year, I am very much looking forward to getting my hands dirty and becoming an active member of CHEARS."

Volunteers of all Ages and Skills are Needed and Welcome to Help with Three Sisters Demonstration Gardens!

Collage of GardensJuly 2011 Schedule

Greenbelt East Garden: Schrom Hills Park Garden                   (6915 Hanover Parkway Greenbelt MD 20770)

July 2 (9-11 AM) Main project bamboo work- a 2D trellis, vine supports to earlier construction, propping up netting over critters' favored crops (yes, we've had four-footed visitors) plus planting some more tomatoes and other heat-loving plants. Contact [email protected]!  

Greenbelt West Garden: Springhill Lake Recreation Center (6101 Cherrywood Lane, Greenbelt MD 20770) 

Tuesday evenings starting July 5 (7pm-9pm) & midday Wednesdays starting July 6 (10am-1pm).Looking for a reason to spend some time outside in the beautiful Maryland summer weather? CHEARS will be hosting open gardening sessions every Tuesday evening (7pm-9pm) and midday Wednesdays (10am-1pm) in July and August to help revitalize the Springhill Lake Gardens. Come anytime during the open garden sessions ready to plant, design, and decorate with other CHEARS volunteers and friends in the community. Are you just looking for a nice place to unwind? Bring out your picnic blanket to find a place to relax and show your support. Feel free to bring a buddy and refreshments or music to share. RSVPs and walk-ins welcome! Contact: soon to be Chesapeake Conservation Corps Volunteer Concetta Laskey ~ [email protected]!

Greenbelt Center Garden: Greenbelt Community Center          (15 Crescent Rd Greenbelt MD 20770)

July 9 (9-11 AM) Yoga Gardening Work session and discussion of possible plans for a new Greenbelt Orchard and Forest Garden project-- The garden site is in the back of the Community Center near the flagpole.  We'll be harvesting and making supports for the beans, mulching and more!!     

Contact [email protected] for more information. The Three Sisters Demonstration Gardens  is a project of the nonprofit organization, CHEARS. CHEARS thanks the Greenbelt Community Foundation and the City of Greenbelt for its support.  The project is approved as one for which Prince George's County Master Gardeners can receive volunteer work hour credits.

GCAN logo

This month, GCAN will be hosting or participating in the following events:

 
GCAN Meetings are on hiatus until Sept
- Look for more info about a GCAN Picnic in August
- GCAN will have a table, explaining how to use less energy and save money, at the Prince George's County Department of Social Services' Office of Energy & Food Programs (Landover, MD), energy assistance intake event, on July 8th.
- Several GCAN Members are going out "postcarding" every weekend (in Districts 24 and 25 in Prince George's County), to collect signatures in support of Offshore Wind Energy.  If you would like to join our Greenbelt Team and go with us one weekend, please contact [email protected].

THOUGHTS ON FOOD: A combined conversation of the Calvert Farm CSA, Farmers Market, Community Gardens, Three Sisters Garden, Food Co-op, Master Gardeners, Menu for the Future.  Share events, what's in your CSA box, best products at the market, recipes, gardening tips, food politics, etc

GO TO: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thoughts_on_food/   OR thoughts_on_food-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

  
For more info, contact, Lore Rosenthal, Greenbelt Climate Action Network, [email protected], 301-345-2234  
GCAN is hosting 3 discussion circles that are meeting regularly and will finish up mid-August!

We Can Save Energy  

Voluntary Simplicity (reducing consumption)

Common Security Club (preparing for economic change)

 

They will all be meeting in private homes in Greenbelt or nearby.  More info on the topics is available here!

    

American Dream House Meeting

 

House meeting, Greenbelt, MD 20770

Sunday, July 17th, 7:00 PM

 

Rebuild The Dream-Greenbelt MD

CHEARS members Bob and Maggie Cahalan  (4 Maplewood Court, Greenbbelt MD) are hosting a MoveOn: Rebuild the Dream-Greenbelt, MD house meeting.  This meeting will be to discuss creative local steps we can take to Rebuild the Dream of creating meaningful work for all to build a sustainable economy.   Sign up for the event at the following: 

 

Event URL: http://civic.moveon.org/event/dreammeeting/116443    

 

Our path to the American Dream begins with a conversation among concerned friends and neighbors at hundreds of American Dream house meetings on July 16 and 17.

 

We'll gather in homes, church basements, and community centers across the country-not just to talk about what a new American Dream looks like, but to commit to each other that we'll stand together to make it happen. These simple house meetings will launch a grassroots agenda-creation process that we'll use to drive the American Dream movement forward.

Reel N' Meal @ New Deal Cafe 

Reel and Meal is a monthly film series at the New Deal Cafe exploring vital environmental and social justice issues. July's film is...   

Mother: Caring Our Way Out of the Population Dilemma 

Mother:

Mother, the film, breaks a 40-year taboo by bringing to light an issue that silently fuels our most pressing environmental, humanitarian and social crises - population growth. For the first time in 2011, the world's population will reach seven billion people.

July 18 (7 PM) @ New Deal Cafe 

 

FREE & Open to the Public  

with optional vegan buffet at 6:30 PM ($13).

 

One of the panel speakers will be Robert Walker, who is the Executive Vice President of the Population Institute, where he directs the organization's advocacy and public education activities, including its work on issues related to health, economic development, sustainability and the environment.

Admission to the film is always FREE! Organizations that co-sponsor the monthly film are Beaverdam Creek Watershed Watch Group, CHEARS-Chesapeake Education, Arts and Research Society, Prince George's Peace & Justice Coalition, and Vegan Networking.

In This Issue
Chesapeake Conservation Corps Volunteer
Three Sisters Gardens Needs Volunteers @ Springhill Lake Park
GCAN-Discussion Circles!
American Dream House Meeting
Reel N' Meal ~ "Mother: Caring Our Way Out of the Population Dilemma"
Nature Journaling Workshop
CHESTORY-The Center for Chesapeake Story
Wild Meadows Farm~Creating Your Edible Estate Workshop Series
CHEARS Projects

 

Nature Journaling

A guide to enhancing our perception of nature

July 27th, 6 PM 

Bird Amongst Flowers

Keeping a nature journal is simply another way of studying place - Claire Walker Leslie

 

Join us as we re-discover the beauty and intricacies of nature. We will meet for several sessions throughout the year to explore our natural world.  The third session will be held on July 27th at 6 PM at Buddy Attick Park (Rain or Shine) to continue our journey of recording and observing nature and its relationships. For more info. contact Susan Barnett at [email protected]!

CHESTORY-The Center for the Chesapeake Story

Chestory

Tom Wisner's legacy is being carried on through a variety of activities that Chestory has been supporting.

 

The musicians who helped Tom Wisner record his CD's will be performing some of his music and some of their own work at the Annapolis Maritime Museum on Thursday, July 14, 7-8:30 pm.  Teresa Whitaker, Frank Schwartz and Mac Walter will be singing and playing a variety of musical instruments. Their music will celebrate the beauty and rhythms of water and earth. For further information, call: 860-668-1535. (This concert was originally scheduled for June 9th and then postponed to July 14th.)

 

The Calvert Marine Museum is heading up the development of the Chestory Archive of Regional Story and Song.  We have received funding for a one year paid, full time intern through the Chesapeake Conservation Corp.  We are pleased to welcome Concetta Laskey to the Chears/Chestory family. She will be located in Solomon's, MD to assist with organizing the Chestory Archive for six months starting this fall.

 

Sara Ebenreck Leeland, co-founder of Chestory, has edited a book of Tom's writings that articulate his vision for the Chesapeake.  Gather 'round Chesapeake: Tom Wisner's Vision will be published in September. We are planning a book signing at the Calvert Marine Museum during the annual Patuxent River Appreciation Days (PRAD) on Columbus Day weekend. Copies of the book will be available for purchase on the Chestory website.

 

Michael and Kathy Glaser and Teresa Whitaker are working with Jim Fox of Fox Lion Recording Studio to publish a children's songbook of Tom's music with an accompanying CD. This will be completed in the spring of 2012.

 

The traveling art exhibit "The Art of Healing the Chesapeake - A Tribute to Tom Wisner" consists of Tom's own art work and his children's collages - make by the children he taught as an environmental educator mostly in Southern, MD.  For information about bringing this exhibit to a location near you, contact [email protected].  

 

Tom Wisner's Latest Album

CD Cover

Tom's last CD "Follow on the Water" (a two CD set completed iin January 2010).

 

You can purchase the album for $25, includes shipping.


 Buy Now

Wild Meadows Farm Design Team presents 

 

Creating Your  

Edible Estate!  

Workshop Series 

 

Turn this...before

Into this!  

After   

 

Session I: Theory and Design  

  July 31st, 2011  

 

Session II: Site Preparation~  Soil, Water and Wildlife  

  August 20th, 2011

 

Session III: Getting Established  

 September 10th, 2011

 

Session IV:  Ensuring an Abundant Harvest      

October 15th, 2011

 

For more details and to register, gohere! 

 

 

CHEARS on FACEBOOK!

Find us on Facebook

You can now become a fan of CHEARS on Facebook and receive updated information in a format that may best suit your networking preferences. We will continue to communicate via email and Twitter but are pleased to offer yet another method to share information about upcoming events, discussion boards, photo albums, and much more. We look forward to your feedback and suggestions as CHEARS moves into the
social networking arena.

Follow CHEARS 

on Twitter!

Follow us on Twitter 


CHEARS is offering an exciting line-up of educational, musical, and community activities and events in 2011. Receive up-to-the-minute information by following CHEARS on Twitter-an information sharing network.

  • Simply register at

    http://twitter.com 

  • Add CHEARS as a friend and follow
  • Choose how you wish to receive information (email, text message, rss feed)
  • And never again miss any of CHEARS's exciting educational and community events! 
Chesapeake Education, Arts, and Research Society
4 Maplewood Court � Greenbelt, MD � 20770
www.chears.org