Every year, National RC&D Week commemorates the anniversary of the founding of the RC&D program and recognizes local RC&D councils and their projects. This year, RC&D Week will be held from September 20 to 26. Now is the time to finalize your council’s plans. Will you hold a special community event? Send out a press release to area media? Or ask your elected representatives to issue a proclamation recognizing RC&D Week in honor of your program?

Here are a few special activities councils held in 2008 to celebrate RC&D Week:

Eastern Connecticut RC&D Council and King’s Mark RC&D Council held two "Tour des Farms" bicycle rides. Since 2003, these bicycle rides have toured the beautiful agricultural countryside of Connecticut, raising awareness of the diversity and vitality of Connecticut’s farms. Event proceeds are donated to initiatives that support small farmers and the preservation of agricultural land.

 Chestatee-Chattahoochee RC&D Council of Georgia presented two local partners, the Open Arms Clinic and Eagle’s Wing Farm, with $5,000 grants at a ceremony that included numerous other community partners.

 Northeast Nebraska RC&D Council held a fun-filled and educational “RC&D Autumn Olympics” that included a variety of quizzes, contests, and races. Each event was linked with a particular project that the council has run: Waste Computer Collection, Household Hazardous Waste Collection, and a Farm to Family direct marketing program. Through these games, the council enabled people involved with the RC&D program to get to know each other and introduced the council’s activities to a larger portion of the community.

 In Utah, Dinosaurland RC&D Council partnered with local and state business groups to host the second annual Duchesne County Area Chamber of Commerce business conference. The conference offered a valuable opportunity for business leaders to network with each other, and training sessions covered important issues such as time management, accounting, record keeping, licensing requirements, and personal development.

 Several councils, including the Northeast Nebraska RC&D Council and the Five Rivers RC&D Council, held open houses. The councils invited the public to come to their offices and learn more about the RC&D program and their projects. At their open house in Indiana, Historic Hoosier Hills RC&D Council held a tour where attendees learned more about the council, visited current project sites, and heard about endowments available for community projects.

 RC&D Week is a perfect occasion for a volunteer event that shares information about your council with community members and involve them in a local project. Councils have included an invasive species cleanup, a tree planting, and a stream cleanup to get people working together and give them a chance to contribute to the community. Or if you’re planning to hold a special ceremony in the near future to kick off a project, consider holding it during RC&D Week.

Apart from special events, there are also numerous ways in which councils publicized RC&D Week and received recognition for the program. Marva Beck, President of the Texas Association of RC&D Councils, appeared on television in College Station, getting the word out about councils’ work throughout the state. Various councils asked their elected officials to issue proclamations to recognize the historic anniversary and honor the achievements of RC&D councils. Last year, such declarations were made by officials throughout the country in jurisdictions both large and small. Proclamations were issued by Alabama Governor Bob Riley, Alabama County Commissioners, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Kaua’i (Hawaii) mayor Bill Asing, and the city of Oshkosh, Nebraska. All proclamations officially recognized September 21-27, 2008 as RC&D Week.

 Your council can also elect to distribute a news release to newspapers within your council area that describes the wide variety of projects you are managing. Many did so last year, and they were rewarded with everything from mention on community websites to articles in state newspapers.

Call your National Association of RC&D Councils at 202-434-4780 if you have any questions, and please let us know how your council plans to celebrate RC&D Week.

2009 National Conference
Partnerships Delivering
Positive Change
 in America's Communities
Albuquerque, NM
June 14-17, 2009
 

RC&D Making Things Happen!

Accessibility, Diversification and EEO Policy