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Issue No.7End of Summer 2011
End of Summer Updates from Groundwork Somerville
In This Issue
Party at Flatbread Company
Green-A-Thon on Sept. 23
Mystic River Success
Summer Farmer's Markets
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 Greetings!

With summer coming to a close, we are happy to report a number of successes for Groundwork Somerville over the last few months. We've just wrapped up our summer Green Team and Garden Camps. We engaged six middle school students in our Garden Youth Crew program along with two summer interns who successfully assisted and ran the program; explored, learned and played with over 100 students and four volunteer assistants each week in the Healey School at the Somerville Adventure Camp; led six children's workshops at the west, central, and east branch libraries; and ran weekly garden programming for the Prospect Hill Academy Summer Camp. Thanks to all who worked so hard and allowed Groundwork Somerville to engage so many young people in nature and gardens this summer.

Our Mystic River Invasives Removal Project complete its second year with record amounts of volunteers and pounds of water chestnuts removed from the river.  We hope to see many more of you out on the water in 2012!

Finally, thank you to all who showed such wonderful support in response to our appeal letter at the beginning of the month. Thanks to all this great support, we have made it halfway to our goal. We still need help, and will keep this fundraising drive going for the rest of the year. If you haven't had a chance to donate yet, we hope you will consider sending a check to 21 Properzi Way, Suite O, Somerville, MA 02143, or donate online.

On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone I have met in the Groundwork Community for making my first few weeks as the Executive Director a smooth and rewarding experience. With our great staff, board and volunteers, it is more and more clear to me the great role that this organization plays in the Somerville Community, and I look forward to the chance to get to know all of you better as we work for a greener, healthier Somerville.

Sincerely,
Chris Mancini
Executive Director

Groundwork Somerville's End of Summer Bash 

On August 30th, from 12pm to 9pm, Groundwork Somerville is throwing an End of Summer Bash to our celebrate our memorable summer at the Flatbread Company (45 Day St., Davis Square, Somerville).

There will be prize offers and discount bowling all day. From 12-2pm, there will special children's activities including musical performances and a group mural painting. Flatbread Co. will donate a portion of the proceeds of each pizza sold to Groundwork Somerville. Please join us and enjoy delicious pizza, discount bowling, and support Groundwork Somerville!
For more info call Ronald at 617-516-7083.
RSVP and spread the word on Facebook  or visit our website calender

Green-A-Thon - September 23
Campers Smelling Mint
Groundwork Somerville will be partnering with Tufts Repair the World Service Day on September 23rd.  Students will be sponsored by their family and friends to work with GWS to clean up the city.  If you would like to help sponsor the event, would like to purchase a $10 custom GWS banana (students raising over $50 for GWS will get one as a reward), or want to identify a place in Somerville that needs cleaning up, please email [email protected].

 

Mystic River Volunteers Pull 60,000 Pounds this Summer
Pulling Water Chestnuts
Hundreds of summer volunteers from organizations like AmeriCorps, IBM, MyRWA, Friends of the Mystic and the Mystic River Rugby Club helped the Mystic River Invasives Removal Project clear 1/3 of a mile of invasive water chestnuts out of the river since June, amounting to 3,000 baskets, or 60,000 pounds.  A record 15,000 pounds were pulled in a singled day on August 13th by 65 volunteers, including members of the Groundwork Somerville Green Team. Volunteers even came out in the dark and the rain to get a few last pulls in before the plants matured and dropped their seeds. This concludes the second of a multi-year removal project, and we hope to see many of you out on the water next spring and summer!
Farmer's Market Success!
FMFlowersThe Green Team had a spectacular summer, hosting an Open Mic Night for Somerville youth at the Growing Center, maintaining the GWS gardens, selling at the Union Square Farmer's Market, and harvesting invasive water chestnuts from the Mystic River. On August 20th, the Green Team hosted its final market of the summer season selling gorgeous heirloom tomatoes harvested from the Kennedy School Garden, green and yellow wax beans grown by the Garden Youth Crew at the Winter Hill Gardens, and bunches of curly kale and colorful swiss chard from the Edgerly and Argenziano School Gardens. The Farmer's Markets were a major success this summer, raising over $1500 to support GWS programming and spreading the word about GWS programs and the joy of local, youth-grown produce! Thanks to everyone who visited us at the market this year!

 

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There are many ways to join the Groundwork Somerville team - attend our events, volunteer, donate, buy from our Farmer's Market booth, "like" us on Facebook, or simply receive and read our newsletters.  Thanks for your support and participation.

And don't forget to come out to Flatbread on August 30th and say hello!

21 Properzi Way, Suite O
Somerville, Massachusetts 02143