The flooding that the community experienced on December 18, coupled with the devastating floods of the summer that ravaged much of Vermont, have left many people wondering what else they can do to be more resilient as a community in light of a changing climate. Friends of the Mad River (FMR) is offering a series of events focused on flood resilience to address that for those in the Mad River watershed.
The events will take place in three consecutive weeks in January, and will focus on the lessons that can be learned from the floods of 2023. The purpose of these events is to create a community conversation around flooding and resilience and to provide information to help us all move forward as a collective community, according to Luke Foley, Friends of the Mad River climate and engagement manager.
WATCH, LEARN, AND CONVERSE
The first event will be a screening of the film, "Surviving the '72 Flood", which documents the town of Rapid City, South Dakota, following devastating floods experienced over 50 years ago. Attendants will view the film, and then have a chance to participate in a facilitated conversation by Onome Ofoman, AmeriCorps service member with Friends of the Mad River staff. This will take place at Moretown Library on Tuesday, January 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Share and Listen
The next event will be an open mic storytelling session with a theme of Community Resilience. Whether people have stories from the flooding this past December, from Tropical Storm Irene, or if they can share some of the legacy of the storms of 1927 and 1938, this event is meant to be a place of sharing and listening. This will take place at The Valley Players Theater in Waitsfield, on Thursday, January 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.
Hear From the Experts
The last event of the series will be an expert panel entitled, "Lessons from the 2023 Floods". FMR has invited experts from around the state to come and speak about the impacts of this year's flooding. With backgrounds ranging from flood plain specialists trying to reconnect rivers to their historical flood plains, to community organizers managing the devastation in Montpelier and Hardwick, to fish and wildlife biologists talking about the impact on non-human neighbors, this event is designed to provide a big-picture perspective on how the Mad River, and the rest of Vermont, was impacted. This event will take place at Warren Elementary on Wednesday, January 31, from 5 to 7 p.m. FMR will provide dinner and child care at the final event. Child care spots may be limited, and people are asked to RSVP early.
“We hope that hearing from community leaders and experts on what has worked for other Vermont communities will inspire us in the Mad River Valley to take action that ensures preparedness for future climate change,” said Ira Shadis, FMR executive director.
RSVP at https://www.friendsofthemadriver.org/events.
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