 MAY 2015
Forklift Fan-Mail
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CONTACT US:
301-985-5180
OPEN:
Monday-Sunday
9am-6pm
And now open later on Wednesday
& Friday:
9am-7pm
Please drop off donations at least a half hour before closing!
HOW TO:
Get here
Donate materials
Donate money
Share project photos
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Dear Forklift Fans,
Ever wonder how Community Forklift has such strong roots in the local community?
We decided to cover our CEO, Nancy Meyer, and our outreach team for a week to see just how much they get involved.
Monday
Outreach & Education Director Ruthie visits local schools to stomp on boxes.
As Ruthie explains it, "I'll build two little houses using cardboard boxes as building blocks. Then I show them the difference between deconstruction (taking the blocks apart carefully) versus demolition (stomping on the boxes and ruining them). It's a great way to teach young children about the importance of reuse!"
Tuesday
 Nancy is often asked to speak about how jobs can be created through reuse: she sits on the Environmental Literacy Committee for the Prince George's County Public School system, is President of the Port Towns Community Development Corporation, serves on the county's Environmental Action Council, and is a member of the county's Zero Waste and Deconstruction committees.
Wednesday
Thursday Tiffany, our amazing community outreach coordinator, is in the office calling and meeting with our HELP and Community Building Blocks participants. She's keeping tabs of how many applications we've received (155) and how much we've donated this year so far ($24,650). Her errands today include running a microwave and two heaters over to a senior in DC, and searching the warehouse for deep freezers and other much-needed items!
Friday Meg, O&E program manager, smells the roses, then gets back to work on the newsletter!
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Want a $10 gift certificate to spend at
Community Forklift?
Then fill out our.....
We want to know what we're doing well and what we can do better as a store and community resource. And it's up to you to let us know! The survey will take a minute, so grab a cup o' joe, and start thinking about all the fun things you can get for $10.00!
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Deep Freezers and A/Cs
Needed for HELP Program
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It's that time of year again and summer is upon us.
During this time, we receive a lot of requests through our Home EssentiaLs Program (HELP) for Air Conditioning Units to help beat those hot summer days (For those of you who may not be familiar, the HELP Program is one of the ways we lift up local communities by donating home essentials to neighbors in need). Without air conditioning, many elderly folks and children who suffer from asthma risk serious health problems on hot days when the air quality is bad.
There has also been a steady request for deep freezers
that we just can't seem to keep up with.
If you have any AC units or deep freezers that you wouldn't mind parting with, please donate today!
Just email [email protected] and let us know you'd like to help. Remember, your donations are tax-deductible! |
Bike to Work Day 2015
Community Forklift, ECO City Farms, Anacostia Watershed Society and the town of Edmonston's Green Team are joining forces to bring you the...
Port Towns Pit Stop!
On Friday May 15, 2015 we invite you to join over 10,000 area commuters for a celebration of bicycling as a clean, fun, and healthy way to get to work. Attend our Port Towns pit stop or one of 79 other stops throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia to receive refreshments, and be entered into a raffle for prizes!
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When
Where
Veteran's Park - Northeast Branch Trail at Decatur Street in Edmonston, Maryland
We'll have music, snacks, raffle prizes and even a chance to upcycle hardware to make your own funky bike wind chimes! And don't miss the chance to get a free smoothie from ECO City Farm's famed smoothie bike!
Moms Organic Market will be at the stop in the morning with healthy breakfast snacks on the go and RT and Roy will be present in the afternoon with some great after-work samples!
Don't forget to bring your water bottles to fill up at our water station! 
The smoothie bike will be going full strength as long as supplies hold out - which should take all day since
Glut Coop gave us such a generous donation of fruit and juice!
Wind Chimes for your bike can be made in less than 5 minutes, so come prepared to roll up your sleeves and upcycle a unique addition for your bike and start a new craze: Hardware Bike Wind Chimes!
Don't miss Anacostia Watershed Society's own Maureen and Lee breaking it down with a fun, indie acoustic set in the morning! Raffle prizes can be won by registered riders and everyone will receive a $5 Community Forklift gift certificate just for showing up!
Registration for the 2015 event is free and easy to complete online. When prompted to select your pit stop location, remember to select "MD - Port Towns - Edmonston." Our pit stop will be open for both the morning and afternoon commute.
Click Here to Register!
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Spread the word and
SAVE THE DATE!
On Saturday June 20th,
from 2-5pm, Prince George's County will host its first annual Green Job Fair. Sponsored by Prince George's Department of the Environment,
and Community Forklift, the event will highlight opportunities to build up our green economy and establish a strong economic base that promotes our environment and local community.
If your organization promotes social, environmental and economic sustainability, and you'd like to be involved, please fill out the employer form, and we'll be in touch! The fee for vendor participation is $40.00 for for-profit businesses and government agencies, and $20.00 for nonprofit organizations.
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Have you heard about
Forklift First Fridays?
On June 5th, 2015,
from 6-8pm, we're doing it again: we're staying open late to throw a party! We'll be joined by Indie Folk group The Iris Bell.
Since 2013, The Iris Bell have crafted a distinctive style of folksy Americana with lush harmonies, a variety of instruments, and a generous helping of barrel-aged American whiskey. The band is a combination of veterans and newcomers to the DC music scene, melding a range of backgrounds, experiences, and influences into original songs that have been performed at farmers markets, festivals, and local clubs.
Enjoy $3.50 craft beer and wine from Town Center Market and eat the best Banh Mi sandwich on this side of the river from PhoWheels offers a modern interpretation of traditional Vietnamese cuisine, where comforting favorite dishes blend seamlessly with bold new flavors that will entice your palate. Vietnamese cuisine like you've never experienced before! Not just a Pho Truck! Forealz!
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SAVE THE DATE!
Community Forklift is partnering with Glen Echo Park Galleries to present a series of artwork and workshops celebrating the art of creative reuse!
If you are an artist and you're interested in submitting your work or being involved in hosting an artist's workshop, please contact Outreach[at]CommunityForklift.org
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OTHER COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
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11th Annual
Green Man Festival
Celebrating Our Streams and Waterways
May 9th & 10th, 2015
Saturday 10am - 6pm
&
Sunday 11am - 5pm
Join us, rain or shine, for two days of music, vendors, crafts, environmental awareness, food, and fun in beautiful downtown Greenbelt!
http://www.greenbeltgreenmanfestival.org/
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Please join the Prince George's County Department of the Environment (DoE), Community Forklift, Geppetto Catering, and other sustainability leaders for our 2015 Green Summit to
ENGAGE, PROMOTE and EMPOWER
action for environmental initiatives and sustainability practices in our County. This FREE one-day event will feature sessions with community, business and nonprofit leaders. Topics include:
- litter
- composting
- clean air & energy
- water
- urban farming
- recycling
- green businesses
- green careers
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HYATTSVILLE HOUSE TOUR
On May 17 from 1 to 5 p.m., please join the Hyattsville Preservation Association as they open the doors to some our area's most ornate and historic homes.
Get more info here, or purchase your tickets at Hyattsville's Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin St., Hyattsville, MD.
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2015 Spring Hunger Summit
Just one week until the
Capital Area Food Bank Hunger Summit:
MAY 15, 2015
8am-3pm
Capital Area Food Bank
4900 Puerto Rico Avenue Northeast
Washington, DC 20017
The Capital Area Food Bank Hunger Summit is an annual event bringing together food assistance partners, supporters, and the public. Unlike many conferences, the Summit offers attendees opportunities to TAKE ACTION through volunteering, teaching, and advocating for those in need.
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Click Here To Learn More about the Farm Share!
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FREE WORKSHOPS
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Toddler Sensory Tour at
Eco-City Farms
Saturday, May 9th, 11am-12pm
Toddlers and parents are invited to explore and engage with nature through a tour of ECO City's urban farm in Edmonston, MD (right down the street from the Forklift). We will touch, smell, and sometimes taste all phases of our vegetable production from worms to roots and greens.
We'll see farm buildings and projects built with Community Forklift materials. We may even be lucky and get a visit from the farm cat, Rosie, and the ducks!
Deborah Wren has been the manager at ECO City Farms at Edmonston for just over a year. Having grown up on a family-run dairy farm in Upstate New York, she has always spent her days outdoors loving nature. Now that she has started her own family, she realizes even more the importance of engaging our youth with nature and all the wonders it has to offer.
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FREE WORKSHOP:
Fruit Tree Growing in the
Mid-Atlantic
(Washington DC Region)
Sunday, May 24th, 2PM-3PM
From paw paws to peaches, discover the fruit trees that grow best in our region. This talk is especially suited to gardeners lacking growing space or living in urban areas. Presenter Kathy Jentz is the Editor, Publisher and Founder of Washington Gardener Magazine.
Kathy is a life-long gardener from a family of farmers and dedicated gardeners. Currently, she is President of the Silver Spring Garden Club and on the board of several other clubs and organizations. You can read Kathy's work in the Washington Examiner and Washington Woman in addition to regular guest spots on Channel 9, Channel 4 and WAMU radio.
Washington Gardener magazine is published specifically for the local metro area - zones 6-7 - Washington DC and its suburbs. The magazine premiered in March/April 2005, and is now about celebrate its 10th anniversary!
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Coldframe & Germination
Chamber Building Workshop
Saturday, May 30th, 1PM-2PM
Join Farmer Colin to learn how to build cold frames, germination chambers, and other season extension structures you can replicate at your own home. Colin is the farm manager at ECO City's new farm in Bladensburg.
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DIY Masonry Retaining Walls
Saturday, June 6th, 2PM-3PM
Come on by and learn to build masonry retaining walls! This class will be covering everything from preparation and supplies to tools, equipment and techniques. Folks of all levels of experience are welcome and encouraged to attend.
 This workshop will include a question and answer session for all attendees as well as an opportunity to get specific project advice from the experts!
GL Barnhart Construction is a home repair and small construction company with three main focus areas: carpentry, masonry, and iron/steel work. Quality, responsiveness, and great customer service are among our top priorities.
Started in 1997 as a father and son business focusing on home improvement and small commercial renovations, today the company focuses on modern renovations, historic restorations, and construction work in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, DC.
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FREE WORKSHOP:
DIY Concrete Counter Top or Umbrella Stand
Sunday, June 7, 2pm-3pm
Have you ever wanted to use concrete as a medium, but just didn't know where to start? Learn to work with concrete so you can start to use it more comfortably. We will learn to create molds that can work for counter tops, umbrella stands, or planters. Learn the process from the first steps to the final product.
Ryan has been working on projects since he was 8 years old, when he joined his dad on weekend projects. He has grown to love working with wood, concrete and patio pavers focusing on reusing or repurposing used materials. He has transformed his house into a home one project at a time.
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May Specials
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FREE Long Florescent Bulbs
All 2-foot, 4-foot, and longer florescent bulbs are free this month (limit 10 per household).
Sale does not include new-in-the-box items, compact CFL spiral bulbs, light fixtures or lamps, select specialty items, or other types of electrical supplies.
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Limited Time Only:
Eco-City Farms Seedlings
Sale includes Lettuce, Spinach, Kolhrabi, Cilantro, Parsley, Kale, Bok Choy and Pac Choy, as well as a variety of other hearty vegetable and plant seedlings. Proceeds support ECO's work to grow great food, farms, and farmers!
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50% Off Sinks
Including Modern and
Vintage sinks!
Sale does not include sink sets with matching vanity cabinets or sink sets with matching toilets, select specialty items, items with missing or damaged price tags, and other plumbing parts.
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Follow us for Flash Sales!
Throughout the month, we'll be announcing deep discounts and storewide sales, usually lasting 2-3 days. For example, this weekend we're having a Mother's Day sale, with 30% off almost everything in the warehouse.
Our flash sales will all be announced on our blog, and on Facebook and Twitter, so follow us to find out when you can save big!
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See you at the warehouse soon!
Your friends at the Forklift |
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