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Outdoors & Environmental Newsletter | April 2013 | VBgov.com/Parks 
Celebrate Earth Day at Trashmore! 
Sunday, April 21 | Mount Trashmore Park
Recycling Zone: 9 am - 4 pm; Event: 11 am - 4 pm

Father Son BikesThis Sunday, we're celebrating our Earth at Mount Trashmore Park with more than 50 environmentally-focused exhibitors, a recycled float parade, live music, children's activities and delicious festival foods as part of our Earth Day Celebration! Discover effective ways to reduce your footprint and see what local businesses are doing to go green.
 
Travel to the event by bike and take advantage of our free bike valet (and receive a free gift!) You can also participate in the Bike Safety Awareness Ride at 1 pm.
 
Don't forget to gather up your old electronics, power tools, child safety seats, car batteries, leftover paint, and more for our one-stop AAA Recycling Zone! Clear out the garage and dispose of those unwanted items properly. All recycling will take place in Parking Lot 1 at Mount Trashmore Park, located near the YMCA. **Please enter from South Boulevard.**
 
Please note this event was originally scheduled for Saturday, April 20, but was postponed due to forecasted rain. 
  
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Upcoming Events
  
4/21 | Earth Day | Mount Trashmore Park
  
4/27 | American Indian Pow Wow | Mount Trashmore Park
  
5/11 | K-9 Karnival | Mount Trashmore Park
5 Ways to Go Green in Honor of Earth Day

 

Reusable Bags1. Printer Cartridges - These, surprisingly, can be reused! Some of your local office or drug stores will refill your cartridges for a lesser price if you bring them in. Depending on your printer, you can reuse these cartridges 3 or 4 times and sometimes even longer.

 

2. Plastic Shopping Bags - Just say no to plastic shopping bags! Seriously. There are so many styles of reusable bags and they are available everywhere.

 

3. Dryer Sheets - These are not eco-friendly and are expensive. A quick fix is to dampen a clean wash cloth and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Toss it in the dryer with a tennis ball and you're good to go! Or you can make your own dryer sheets by soaking a washcloth in fabric softener and then allowing it to dry completely before putting it in with your wet clothes. You can use the same washcloth for 10-12 loads before you need to repeat the process.

 

4. Coffee Filters - Buy a reusable coffee filter once and never worry about running out again. You don't have to throw out those filters, adding to our trash every day, and you can save money in the process. Even better if you rinse your reusable filter over a bucket and use the gray water in your garden!

 

5. Water Bottles - This one is obvious, yet those plastic water bottles are everywhere! Buying a reusable water bottle is an easy, quick way to help the environment. You can put your own filtered water in it or just use water from the tap.

Tips for Staying Warm During Spring Paddling 

KayakerWith the days getting longer and temperatures rising, many of us are gunning to get back out on the water and kick off the paddling season. Remember that when attempting spring paddling, just because the air is warmer, that doesn't mean the water is warmer. Water takes more time to heat up than air or land, so many people head out on a warm day, ill-prepared for an accidental wet exit, or even the cool breeze that can come off the water. Here are a few tips to be prepared for that cool weather paddling adventure.
  

Always dress in layers. Layers help trap heat and fend off water. Remember "wick, warmth, and weather" as you arrange your layers. ­Light wicking fabrics first, then warm insulating sweaters or fleeces, and finally a waterproof outer layer to protect you from the elements. Be sure to avoid cotton! Cotton soaks up water and holds it against your skin, leaving it worthless as an insulator and heavy as a layer.

 

You can also use a wetsuit. Wetsuits are supreme in simplicity, bottling in the body heat while still leaving room to layer jackets and other insulation on top. They're fairly inexpensive, effective, and don't restrict your movement in the boat. A wetsuit acts as an evaporation barrier, allowing a thin layer of water to seep in between your skin and the neoprene and trapping it there. That water retains your body heat, and since cold water can't circulate into its place, adds to the natural insulation properties of the neoprene to keep you warm.

 

As for your feet, a pair of wet suit booties are generally an all-around good idea. They stay on your feet, give a bit of traction, and in case of a wet exit, they do a great job of keeping your feet warm by trapping a thin layer of water and holding it against your skin, just like a wetsuit. 

 

Wet hands are an inevitable part of paddling and regular knit gloves just can't handle those waterlogged conditions. There are two options for your hands: pogies neoprene mitts that wrap over your fingers and around the paddle shaft, leaving you skin-on-plastic contact with the paddle; and full neoprene wetsuit gloves that offer more warmth but less "feel." 

 

Last, but not least, for your head, a warm synthetic ski cap will do, unless you are wearing a helmet, which typically is only for whitewater, then you would want something thin that would fit under the helmet.

 

Check the current and forecasted water temperature for Virginia Beach and be prepared before you head out paddling!

Experience Native American Culture at Pow Wow 
Saturday, April 27 | 11 am - 6 pm | Mount Trashmore Park

Pow WowCome out to Mount Trashmore Park on Saturday, April 27 from 11 am - 6 pm for the 13th Annual American Indian Pow Wow: A Celebration of Life for all PeopleYou and your family will learn about various dances and regalia worn, and you'll have the opportunity to participate in intertribal dancing. (Due to the nature of the American Indian Pow Wow, no pets are allowed in the event area.) Browse through more than 25 exhibitors offering authentic and Indian-inspired arts and crafts, with educational displays of American Indian artifacts. American Indian foods as well as other festival foods will be available for purchase.  

 

Master of Ceremonies: Clark Stewart (Chickahominy)

Arena Director: Chief Thomas "Two Feathers" Lewis (Meherrin-Chowanoke Nation)

Head Male Dancer: Mavrick Wallace (Creek)

Head Female Dancer: Jesse Wallace (Creek)

Host Drum: Stumptown Singers (St. Stephen's Church, VA)

Guest Drum: Red Blanket (Bridgeton, NJ)

 

The event opens at 11 am for educational and craft displays/sales. The grand entry will take place at noon followed by American Indian drumming, dancing and activities, until the closing ceremony at 5:45 pm. This event is free with ample on-site parking. Tag your photos with #VBPowWow

 

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Please Note Our Upcoming Facility Closures 

 

Bow Creek Recreation Center is closed for a long-term modernization project

   

Beach Garden Park will be closed on April 19-20 to accomodate landscape improvements to be made through STIHL Inc's community service project.
  
All Virginia Beach Recreation Centers and Owl Creek Tennis Center will be closed on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day. Parks will be open!
  

Don't forget that your membership is good at all Virginia Beach Recreation Centers! If your usual center is closed for maintenance, take the opportunity to visit another center. Use this locator to help you find one!

Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation believes all of our diverse citizens have a right to participate in community recreation and we are committed to creating equal access for everyone who may have a challenge or barrier. If your child requires additional support, we can help.  Learn more about our accommodation and inclusion services.
We welcome your comments and questions.  Feel free to email us at [email protected].
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Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation is accredited by CAPRA,
the certifying agency of the National Recreation and Park Association.