The Green Valley Rally is back this weekend -- a multi-town, multi-organization, volunteer community effort to green up The Valley as Vermont celebrates its annual Green Up Day on May 4.
This is the second year of this collaboration for the event where festivities, food, BBQ and activities take place at the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce welcome center at the corner of Route 100 and 17 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“The Green Valley Rally is the epicenter for all activities here in The Valley. People can stop by to pick up Green Up bags, morning snacks, and roadside assignments. People will also have the chance to learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Friends of the Mad River, stewardMRV, and Valley knotweed eradication programs,” explained chamber executive director Eric Friedman.
BREAKFAST TREATS
Pick bags and enjoy some breakfast treats from 8 to 10 a.m. From noon to 2 p.m. enjoy a BBQ for Green Up Day volunteers and visit a job fair for Valley steward organizations during that same time.
People can learn more about other conservation and stewardship opportunities. Representatives from various local organizations involved in stewardship in The Valley will be on hand to share information about volunteer opportunities. Those interested can look into becoming a stewardMRV site steward, a Friends of the Mad River Watch volunteer, a Mad River Path volunteer or even help out with the Mad River Valley Recreation District.
Throughout the day, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. people can drop off refundable cans and bottles found along the roadsides. There will be clear bags for cans/bottles, and they can be brought back to the chamber welcome center and the tent at the site. Those cans will be redeemed, and funds donated to the Mad River Valley Interfaith Council.
BAG DROP OFF
The Green-Up Day bags can be dropped at the Casella Transfer Station in Waitsfield which will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Mad River Resource Management Alliance (MRRMA) is collecting tires at the Earthwise Transfer Station on Green Up Day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those who find a tire along a roadside can bring it to the transfer station for recycling free of charge. To recycle personal tires, the MRRMA will process those (with or without rims) for $5 each.
WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT
Vermont’s Green Up Day coordinators are working to set a world record for the most pledges received to clean in 24 hours and need to sign up 5,000 Vermonters who will start at every mile mark, to set the record for VT Top to Bottom Green Up – an effort to clean 223 miles from North Troy to Stamford (446 miles if teams go both north and south) from Canada to Massachusetts – the longest litter pick up team ever.
Local volunteers can contact their town Green Up Day coordinator to be assigned a mile to green up. Those coordinators are:
- Waitsfield: Bri Skoldberg,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 802-829-0878 - Fayston: Patty Pasley,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 802-825-1893 - Warren: Warren Town Office,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 802-496-2709. - Moretown: Mike Dimotsis,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 802-469-2812
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