With funding from the City of Columbus, FLOW will once again offer our popular rain barrel workshops and cost share program. Rain barrels are a great way to conserve water and reduce your utility bills while at the same time helping to protect the Olentangy River and its tributaries.

The two-hour workshops are free and open to the public. Columbus residents who attend a workshop will be eligible to purchase a rain barrel at a cost share price of $30. Residents of other municipalities may participate in the workshop, but, due to funding restrictions, they will not be eligible to receive the cost share price.

Due to the high demand in previous years, we have switched to a new registration system. Registration will begin at 12:01 AM on June 1, 2009 and will be on a first come, first served basis. No registrations will be received prior to that time. We recommend registering as early as possible in the process, as space is limited and workshops will fill quickly.

To register, complete the attached form and email to hdean@olentangywatershed.org, or call 614-267-3386 and leave your name and phone number.

Please spread this information to your contact lists.

Heather Dean
Watershed Coordinator
Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed
614-267-3386
www.olentangywatershed.org

Kip Patterson is Adena Brook Community’s “go -to” person for all CIP questions. Feel free to contact him:

ripatters@columbus.rr.com

About 50 neighbors shared the annual community potluck!

OLDER DOG STILL MISSING – Curly is a 12 year old German Wire Hair Pointer – she looks like an Irish Wolfhound.
She is friendly and spayed and microchipped. She has on a green collar but not her tags. She is slow. She weighs about 90 pounds. She has wiry fur.

Lynne

If you have seen her – please call Lynne at 614-648-1988
Email is fortylove@columbus.rr.com

May 15, is the potluck! The weather looks like it will be beautiful. About 50 people say they’re coming. That sounds like a delicious evening.

Where:
Whetstone Park of Roses, parking lot by roses and shelter house.

When:
6 – 8 PM. We’ll eat right away. This potluck was designed to be easy to duplicate! There will be table cloths on the tables. The rest we create together!

Bring:

a dish to share
your own plate and silverware
your own drink

Ohio Wildlife Center and resident wildlife will start about 6:45 PM.

FUN!

See you tomorrow,

Because of a forecast of Thunderstorms on Saturday, we are going to move our Planting Day to Sunday, May 17th from 1-5pm.

Thank you for all of your support!

James Kutnow
Assistant Dean of Experiential Education
The Graham School
3950 Indianola Ave
Columbus, OH 43214
614.262.1111
www.thegrahamschool.org

Early this morning, maybe 6 ish, a large ash tree fell across Overbrook Drive between High Street and Canyon Drive. By 10 AM the city cut and moved the pieces blocking the roadway. It’s a windy day!

These 20 volunteers worked to weed the rain garden, pull garlic mustard, and cut honeysuckle. Only 1 bag of trash collected!

Jim Roberts: about 10 bags of garlic mustard at High and Overbrook, several piles of honeysuckle, euonymous vine and garlic mustard along Overbrook off High and Overbrook off Indianola.

Derek Hansford and Ann Florentine
Joey James
Martin McCarthy
Kevin Obye
Charlotte Cahill
Natalie Fields
Andy Balmert
Kenn Cahill
Ellen Hoover
Kathy Brunner
Steve and Georgia Blum-Herminghausen
Greg Schneider
Jim Drury
Bill Platt
Phyllis and Jeff Beuter
Karen Snyder
Susan Michael Barrett

Hi Friends and Neighbors–

I’m writing to share news. My husband, Terry, and I are moving to Texas in August. Briefly, as a result of a few life changing events, we’ve learned to live life as an adventure. This news is bittersweet (understated) – I LOVE Columbus and this neighborhood. I will miss you and the vibrant, progressive spirit of those who work tirelessly to better our neighborhood and city.

Transitioning Adena Brook Community tasks to the many who care so much about our neighborhood woodland and brook is a top priority and easy to do! We are a community working together and though I will miss you so much, the conservation work now has a life of its own. The vision for a thriving, biodiverse ravine and brook ecosystem gains breadth each year because it is the result of many working together. Because I have asked and you allowed me to assume leadership of this work, it is important to think through the tasks to assure continuance. In the spirit of community, I’m sure you are not surprised that neighbors step forth to accept responsibility for the tasks we have worked steadfastly toward these last eight years.

Here’s how the structure looks:

Derek Hansford agrees to lead which means he will be the voice for the group when needed. Derek agreed only when reassured that he would work in collaboration with the people below who agree to an ongoing commitment to the work they have either done for many years or will begin in the next few months.

Kenn Cahill – advise about and oversee the invasive plant removal work
Mark and Carina Carter – maintain the Cooke Road exit corner
Greg Cunningham – maintain the 62 nesting boxes
Ann Florentine – oversee the Financials s for Adena Brook Community (with Clintonville Beechwold Community Resources Center)
Ellen Hoover, Steve and Georgia Blum-Herminghausen – oversee the Adena Brook Community website; make sure all professional mentors are registered to post
Nan Platt – check PO BOX for donations or invoices, write thank you notes for donations, deliver checks and invoices to Clintonville Beechwold Community Resources Center. Share information with Ann Florentine.
Greg Schneider – oversee maintenance of the Adena Brook Rain Garden
Judy and Bob Robinson – oversee monthly clean-ups; put out signs and supplies for clean ups every month. Contact Robert Seed about bags to pick up. Send an email to Jim Roberts to haul invasives.
Susan Michael Barrett – emeritus; available by email for any help needed

The Adena Brook street reps will continue to inform neighbors who live on their street and pass news to them.

Tina Mohn, Property Manager for the City of Columbus, Recreation and Parks, remains our group’s main contact. She is the person who gives us a permit to work on parkland. Derek will be in contact with Tina. Derek will send you occasional emails, however he and others will post news on the website. Be sure to bookmark it (http://www.adenabrook.org)

Over the last 8 years, we have been guided by informed and devoted mentors. A few mentors are new. Thank you to: Lisa Bowers, Greg Cunningham, Lisa Fosco, Elayna Grody, Tina Mohn, Greg Schneider, Robert Seed, Stephanie Suter, George Zonders. I know they will continue to provide guidance to our volunteerism. All are either registered or will register on our website so that they can post information directly to us related to our mission to conserve Adena Brook and its surrounding woodland.

One of the reasons for the success of our work is that we created principles to guide us. They are listed on our website. As a reminder of who we are and how we work, I’m listing them here.
Principles of Action for Adena Brook Community
We care about Adena Brook and its woodland.
We show our care through action.
We base our actions on accurate information and guidance from professionals.
We are an agent of change through service guided by kindness, cooperation, and persistence.
We rely on creativity, generosity, and commitment.
We treat people with the same care and respect we treat the environment.
We listen to each other.
We follow the energy of “yes.”
We stay together.
We believe in others.
We focus on what is possible.
We keep track of what we do.
We organize as a web of relationships.
We use a trust-based model of relating to one another.
We avoid power struggles and power-over dynamics in relating to others.
We work cooperatively rather than confrontationally with others.
We are patient and persistent with people and processes.
We lead in a way that welcomes others in.
We believe our capacity grows as we widen the circle of inclusion.
We work with our children and grandchildren in mind.

I will take the experience of Adena Brook Community and transform it into something helpful in my new community. Thank you so much.

Susan

7:18 PM, May 3, 2009

We just saw 4 deer outside our dining room and office windows! We live @ 655 Overbrook, next to the Sleeper’s. After watching us for a while, they headed down in to the ravine and headed west on Overbrook Drive

Laure Nordholt