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2015 - Our Year in Review
In 2015, The Watershed Alliance welcomed three new staff members. Executive Director Deborah Weaver joined in January, with Community Engagement Manager Steve Connors starting in March, and Development and Finance Manager Jennifer Lynch beginning in August.
We had many successful events during the year.  In February, BUOYS AT THE BREWERY attracted hundreds of guests, who enjoyed the art show in the friendly confines of the Buzzards Bay Brewery. This was a fun occasion and pleasant distraction during a bleak winter season. This year, the BUOY event moves back to the Dedee Shattuck Gallery.
We held three Electronics Recycling drop-off days, and collected over 12,000 pounds of old computers, televisions and other outdated equipment. The equipment was sent to recyclers who extract reusable materials for new manufacturing. We hosted three beach and shoreline clean-ups at Town Beach and East Beach. Over 60 volunteers came out and helped pick up hundreds of pounds of trash.
WRWA joined with the Westport Land Conservation Trust on several occasions for interesting walks and talks around the watershed. These included a nature walk through the Cherry and Webb dunes and a Headwaters walk in the northernmost part of the watershed.
Our summer interns contributed greatly to our education programs, assisting with our school outreach to 2,000 students, and providing extra effort with our summer science programs. |
| | Joy Smith and Jerelle Jesse. |
Over 1,000 people came out to our big River Day celebration in June - Music, food, displays and lots of fun activities for kids made it a great day at the Head of Westport!   Water Music - WRWA, WLCT and Mass Audubon Allens Pond hosted three concerts celebrating the Westport Waterfront: Atwater Donnelly at River Day, Toph and Tom at the Duck Derby, and Jonathan Edwards at Town Farm. Water monitoring - every week throughout the season, our Science Director and volunteers take samples from several sites along the East and West Branches of the River. The results are published regularly, so that people using the River for work and recreation can know where the pollution trouble spots are the most concerning. This data also helps with developing solutions for the elevated levels of bacteria and nitrogen in the River.
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| | Becky Buchanan and Shannon Choquette |
Commonwealth Corps Service Members are providing help and support to our education programs until June of 2016. The Summer Gala was one of the best in memory! Great music, food and fabulous auction items - the best party in Westport! 
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| | East Beach Sunset - Winter Solstice, 2014 |
Thank you for all your support throughout the year - We look forward to another great year in 2016, as we celebrate our 40 -year anniversary!
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2016 marks our 40th Anniversary! The Watershed Alliance was formed in 1976 by a group of concerned Westport residents, addressing pollution in the River. Over 40 years, the organization has grown and matured, providing valuable scientific data and popular education programs to students in Westport and surrounding areas.
