NMCA Spring Social and Membership Drive
Mother Nature provided gorgeous weather for this year’s membership drive and social. We welcomed 22 new households as members and another 22 renewed their membership for 2011. (If you haven’t renewed yet, you’ll be hearing from us soon!) Plus….we raised $343.00 to help replant dogwoods in the North Main median!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!! Congratulations to the lucky winners of this year’s raffle prizes and thanks to all who purchased tickets. Thanks to Brian Henbaugh who provided the live music…..it was great! A big THANK YOU to all our sponsors who donated money or prizes, including PBR who donated the beer! Just so you know what you missed, the raffle prizes included:
A beautiful travertine tile mirror/picture frame from Michael McDunn gallery
A table lamp from Gary Hester Interiors
Two AC Check-up Service calls from Moss Heating & Air Conditioning
Four gift certificates from the Northgate Soda Shop
Spinx gas card
Three haircuts from To Dye For Hair Salon
North Main Blood Drive – Urgent Need for Blood!
Last month the North Main Community Blood Drive at the Northgate Soda Shop was a huge success. So, are you ready to do it again? The next one is scheduled for Monday, May 16 from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at the Soda Shop. The Blood Connection has begun to receive calls for assistance from states devastated by recent severe weather. They need your help! Please donate ASAP! Spread the word! All blood types are needed, especially O- and B-! Anyone who is in good health, is at least 17 years old (16 years old with written parental consent), and weighs at least 110 pounds may donate blood every 56 days. One pint of blood can help save up to 3 lives. Come donate on May 16, or donate earlier by going to the Blood Connection website.
Congratulations also to the Soda Shop Golf Tournament….they raised $1580.00 for Pendleton Place! Thanks to all who sponsored and participated!
The City’s Annual Budget
In City Council’s January retreat, Council worked with the City Manager and leadership team to prioritize the goals for the year. Given several years of smart conservative forecasting, the City is in solid financial shape and continues to do exciting projects throughout the City from park and trail improvements to streetscapes for corridors entering the city. The two major capital projects for this year will be investing in the Peace Center’s renovations and the Main @ Washington public park project.
No property tax or business license fee increases for this year. The only fee increase recommended is the solid waste pick up fee. This fee will increase by $1/month to $12.50/month. This will cover the increased costs the City pays for the County’s tipping fee at the landfill.
Presentation and Public Hearing of the City Budget on May 16 at 5:30pm. Click here to read the executive summary (or the entire budget). (email from Amy Ryberg-Doyle)
Slow Food Upstate Earth Market Grand Opening
It’s official, the new Slow Food Upstate Earth Market will open on Thursday, May 19, from 2-6pm, on the front lawn of McDunn Studio & Gallery, North Main Street and Rutherford Road, Greenville SC. McDunn Gallery has worked with Slow Food Upstate to establish this Slow Food “Earth Market”. Thank you to everyone who turned out for the Slow Food Market presentation. The market will be an ongoing process of discovery and learning, from the farmers to the consumer.
What is Slow Food? Slow Food Upstate, a local chapter of the International Slow Food movement, envisions a future food system that is based on the principles of high quality and taste, and environmental sustainability — in essence, a food system that is good, clean, and fair.
What is an Earth Market? Earth Markets are farmers’ markets that have been established according to guidelines that follow the Slow Food philosophy. These community-run markets are important social meeting points, where local producers offer healthy, quality food directly to consumers at fair prices and guarantee environmentally sustainable methods. In addition, they preserve the food culture of the local community and contribute to biodiversity.
In an Earth Market, you will only find producers selling their own products. In this way they have the opportunity to explain the quality of their goods and take personal responsibility for their work. (Jan Wesley, Slow Food Upstate Chapter Leader)
+ Products are local, seasonal, and produced using sustainable methods.
+ Sold at fair price for both producer and consumer.
+ Products are noted for their gastronomic excellence.
+ Products are clean, organically produced in natural environments (however not necessarily certified organic due to excessive costs of certification), fertilizers must be mainly manure or other organic types, and soil conservation practiced, and must ensure a low environmental impact.
+ No hormones or other stimulants or growth accelerators permitted.
+ No phyto-chemical or fixed residues or artificial enhancers.
+ Products use no genetically modified organisms at any stage of growth.
+ Fresh foods will only be local and seasonal.
+ Non-local foods may appear as guests but must be less than 10% of the market.
+ Must pass a tasting commission appointed by Slow Food evaluated on gastronomic excellence: complexity, balance, and local character.
For more information, check out these websites: http://www.slowfoodupstate.com http://www.earthmarkets.net http://www.mcdunnstudio.com
New Friends in N. Main Rotary Park
The City of Greenville Parks & Recreation Department will be installing a Bat House in the creek bed in N. Main Rotary Park in the upcoming weeks. Many of us do not realize how beneficial it is to bats and to us when we provide a habitat for them. Bat populations are declining rapidly due to habitat loss. Many species have become extinct and many other species are on the endangered list. Bats’ favorite foods are pesky insects such as mosquitoes. A brown bat will eat half their body weight in insects every night!
The Bat House was originally the idea of a local boy scout as part of an Eagle Scout project. It will be placed on a nine foot pole and in an area where children (and others) do not walk or play. It will provide the Parks & Recreation Department opportunities to have more educational programs and a learning laboratory that we hope the residents of the N. Main community will enjoy. (Pam Davis)
Consider putting up a bat house in your yard if you’ve got a pole or tall tree. Don’t have a long enough ladder? If you have tree or utility work done and they have a lift truck, ask if they’ll help mount it….that’s what I did and they were happy to help!
Upstate Favorites Join Forces in Major Spring Benefit at the Handlebar
Cravin’ Melon, one of the Upstate’s most enduring and loved pop-rock bands, and Stereo Reform, an innovative up-and-coming rock/funk/dance/pop outfit, join forces in a major benefit for NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness …..Thursday, May 19th at 8pm at the Handlebar on Stone Ave. Mental illness — from depression to bi-polar disorder and more — affects one in four American families. NAMI is a 32-year-old nationwide grassroots advocacy organization that serves families, individual and communities. Cravin’ Melon cut their teeth during the heady Hootie & The Blowfish days with their melodic, heartfelt acoustic rock that never goes out of style. Newcomers Stereo Reform are touring throughout the region, just like those bands we knew from the old days: Uncle Mingo, Jump, Little Children, Jupiter Coyote, Gran Torino . . . forging sounds reminiscent of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Average White Band and Band of Horses. Together, the two bands make for an X-treme night of major entertainment, all for a crucial cause. Tickets are only $12 in advance, $15 at door. Purchase at Handlebar or: www.namirockbenefit.com
Weather Tidbits
According to climate data, the average maximum temperature for Greenville in May is 78°F, the average low is 56°F and the average precipitation (rainfall) is 4.59”. The record maximum temperature was 100° F on May 28, 1916. The record minimum was 27°F on May 27, 1885. In 1992, Greenville recorded a trace of snow on May 7. 1910 was the wettest May on record with 12.81”. The driest was 1936 with 0.15”. http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/ClimateData/cli_sc_climate.php
May is Garden for Wildlife Month!
That means it’s the perfect time to turn your yard or garden into a welcoming haven for wildlife. Join nearly 140,000 Certified Wildlife Habitat™ sites across the country when you certify your yard as wildlife-friendly. When you do, National Wildlife Federation will…plant one tree for every yard certified in the month of May!
Creating a Certified Wildlife Habitat is as easy as 1-2-3-4! All you need to do is provide animals with the four elements they need to survive: food, water, shelter and place to raise their young. For more information on how to get certified as well as other tips on creating wildlife habitats go to the National Wildlife website.
Urban Trees and Conservation
Backyard conservation is gaining popularity among urban dwellers. Whether you have acres in the country, an average-sized suburban yard, or a tiny plot in the city, you can help protect the environment and add beauty and interest to your surroundings. There is a wealth of information to help you get started or gain more information on your urban surroundings. The International Society of Arboriculture has a consumer web site, www.treesaregood.com. They have downloadable brochures on just about any tree care subject for free. Clemson University also has information on trees and urban landscape conservation.
Trees SC, formerly the South Carolina Urban and Community Forestry Council, was founded in 1991 as a non-profit organization that provides a forum for the stewardship of South Carolina’s urban and community forests. These forests include all the trees in your community: tree-lined roads, parks, neighborhoods, and commercial building sites. Taking care of the trees in these areas benefits the environmental, social and economic well-being of your community.
The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) publication Backyard Conservation http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/ shows you how conservation practices that help conserve and improve natural resources on agricultural land across the country can be adapted for use around your home. These practices help the environment and can make your yard more attractive and enjoyable. Most backyard conservation practices are easy to use. America’s farmers and ranchers have been using these practices successfully for decades. Printed copies of this colorful 28-page booklet on Backyard Conservation and tip sheets are available free by calling 1-888-LANDCARE (single copies only). This campaign is a cooperative project of the National Association of Conservation Districts, the Wildlife Habitat Council, and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Another resource is the web soil survey. The survey provides soil data and information produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. NRCS has soil maps and data available online for more than 95% of the nation’s counties with 100% expected in the near future. Go to www.websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov (Lynne Newton, NRCS District Conservationist, Greenville)
Kudos to One of Our Own!
Many of you have not had the pleasure of working with Cathy Flenniken, the horticulturist with the Greenville Parks & Rec. Department who has been assigned the North Main Rotary Park as one of her responsibilities. She has helped organize and participated in our work days and recently was involved in planting several new trees at the park. Cathy was the City’s top fundraiser in the recent March of Dimes Walk on April 30. Way to go, Cathy!
The Challenge of Growing Veggies in Containers
I vowed last year I would not grow tomatoes in pots again….no matter how large the pot was! Some veggies are easy to grow in containers. Others, like tomatoes and peppers, are harder. The challenge is moisture. Have you ever grown tomatoes that looked like the ones in this picture…..black rotten spots on the bottom or blossom end of the fruit? If you look up calcium deficiency, this is what it will look like. About 75% of mine looked like this last year! The problem is….even if there’s plenty of calcium in the soil, if the soil is too dry or too wet, the roots can’t take it up and thus, the fruit shows the deficiency….blossom end rot or BER. Normal movement of calcium occurs in the transpiration stream from the roots to the top….anything that interferes with this can cause BER. Although you can buy foliar spray-¬¬on products that claim to overcome calcium deficiency, it’s almost impossible to correct it this way because that’s not how the majority of calcium is taken up by the plant. The challenge is keeping uniform moisture in containers, especially black containers which get hot and cause even faster drying of the soil. When plants are small, it’s easy to over water. When they are large with lots of foliage and fruit, even daily watering may not maintain consistent soil moisture. The solution…..either plant in the ground or use very large containers (preferably not black)….or do what I plan to do….buy them at the local produce market
A Look Back in Time
Greenville residents can now see what Greenville looked like from the air as far back as 1920. The city has added a new interactive web application, Historic Aerial Photography Viewer, to its website that allows users to search by street name and view historic photos and maps. The oldest available aerial photography dates back to 1955 when USDA began a program to help measure farmland acreage.
http://gis.greenvillesc.gov/historicalimagery/
Calendar
City Council Formal Meeting and Work Session schedules can be found at http://www.greenvillesc.gov/city_government/meet.aspNote: Public Hearing of the City Budget is on May 16 at 5:30pm.
May 7, 14, 21, & 28 – Saturday Market – Over 50 vendors. Opens at 8 am. www.saturdaymarketlive.com and facebook.com/saturdaymarket The TD Saturday Market’s Booth with a Cause features organizations that focus on health, environmental concerns, youth and/or leisure. Upcoming participants include:
May 7 – Rotary Club of Greenville Evening Charities
May 14 – Dogs Deserve Better
May 21 – Friends of Greenville County Guardian ad Litem
May 28 – US Green Building Council -SC Upstate Branch
To sign up for Booth with a Cause, please email brusch@greenvillesc.gov
May 13-15 – Artisphere. 16 Augusta Street, Greenville.
May 14 – Tuxes, Tiaras & Tails – 2nd Annual Puppy Prom. 4 pm. Greenville Tech’s Northwest Campus on White Horse Road. This year it’s an indoor location but will still include all of the music, games, food and fun of last year, including the contest for the 2011 pooch prom court, king and queen! All proceeds benefit Concerned Citizens for Animals (CCA)!
May 16 – North Main Community Blood Drive. 4 – 7pm. Northgate Soda Shop. http://thebloodconnection.org/
May 17 – Upstate Chapter, SC Native Plant Society meeting. 7 pm. “Andre Michaux – Live!” What would it have been like to have been a botanist from France, based in South Carolina in the late 1700s, tasked with surveying the young “united states” for plants new to science? Join us for a first person interpretation of Andre Michaux in 18th century costume by Michaux scholar Charlie Williams. This meeting will be held in Room 122 of the Roger Milliken Science Center at Wofford College in Spartanburg. The building can be easily accessed from the Memorial Auditorium parking lot on Memorial Drive. Campus Map.
May 23 – District 2 City Council meeting at A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School, 5:30 pm. This will be the last ‘out of City Hall’ Council meeting for the year.
May 28-30 – GHS USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship. For the schedule of events and the tour route go to http://www.usacyclingchampionships.com/
May is Bike Month! Each May, the City organizes annual events to celebrate National Bike Month. There are so many ways to join the festivities in May. Download the 2011 Bike Month Informational Flyer at http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/Trails/forms/BikeMonth2011.pdf or visit http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/Trails/BikeMonth.aspx
May 28 – Greater GreenvilleScottish Games & Highland Festival. 8:00 am – 5:30 pm. Furman University.
May 27- 30 – GHS Freedom Weekend Aloft. Heritage Park, Simpsonville.
Upcoming Classes at the Bobby Pearse Community Center
The following classes will be held at the Bobby Pearse Community Center, 904 Townes St., on the dates indicated. For additional information or to register for programs call 864-467-4331.
Program Name: Yoga
Dates/ Time: June 13 – August 8; Mondays, 6:30-7:45pm
Fee: $5 per class for city resident; $6 per class for non-city resident OR $35 for the 8-week session paid in full for city resident; $42 for the 8-week session paid in full for non-city resident
Registration: on-line at www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/CommunityCenter/ or if paying per class, fee may be paid upon arrival.
Description: This will also be an 8-week beginner yoga class. The instructor, Brooke Kleinfelter, will teach the class at a beginner level; however, it will tailored to the participants, so all levels are welcome to join.
Program Name: Dog Obedience for Puppies 3-6 months old
Dates/ Time: May 24 – June 28; Tuesdays, 6:15-7:15pm
Fee: $75 for city resident; $90 for non-city resident
Registration: on-line at www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/CommunityCenter/
Description: This six week class for puppies 3 -6 months old will meet for 1 hour each week. The first class will be an orientation without puppies. During orientation, there will be discussion about the training process and have a Q&A period so participants can ask any training questions. In this class, the puppies will work on basic training skills. You will learn how to teach your puppy to sit, lie down, come, leave it and drop it. There will be time each week to talk about puppy training issues like house-training, chewing and puppy biting.
Class instructor Sue Conklin is a Greenville area dog trainer known as The Puppy Nanny. She has been training dogs and teaching their owners for over 12 years. Sue knows that the best training methods use positive reinforcement for both dogs and people. She focuses on teaching dogs what they should do and teaching owners how to get the best behavior from their dogs.
Program Name: In the Park Dog Obedience
Dates/ Time: May 24 – June 14; Tuesdays, 7:30-8:30pm
Fee: $65 for city resident; $78 for non-city resident
Registration: on-line at www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/CommunityCenter/
Description: This four week class will meet for 1 hour each week. The first two classes will meet inside Bobby Pearse, and the last two classes will meet in the park behind the center. The participants will learn the best practices for walking their dog on a leash as well as keeping the dog focused when distractions occur.
Class instructor Sue Conklin is a Greenville area dog trainer known as The Puppy Nanny. She has been training dogs and teaching their owners for over 12 years. Sue knows that the best training methods use positive reinforcement for both dogs and people. She focuses on teaching dogs what they should do and teaching owners how to get the best behavior from their dogs.
Program Name: Jr. Jazzercise Camps
Dates/ Time: Saturday Camp – July 9 – August 13, 2-3:30pm
Sunday Camp – July 10 – August 13, 2-3:30pm
Fee: $140 for all
Registration: Call 467-4331 or 346-4671
Description: We will be offering two Jr. Jazzercise Camps this summer at Bobby Pearse, one on Saturdays and one on Sundays, with both camps ending on Saturday, August 13 for a final performance. The ages for the camps are 7-14 years old. Jr. Jazzercise is a highly accredited youth fitness program that consists of workouts, nutrition and self-esteem lessons, dance performances and creative games!
Program Name: Youth Karate
Dates/ Time: June 4 – September 10; Saturdays mornings
Fee: $7 per lesson for city resident; $9 per lesson for non-city resident; Fees can be paid on a weekly basis. There is an $8 registration fee paid once per semester.
Registration: Registration will be at the Bobby Pearse Community Center on Saturday, May 21 at 9- 9:45 am for students ages 4-6 & 9:45-10:30am for students ages 7-18. Class times will be assigned at registration.
Description: This fun course for children is designed for self-defense purposes to emphasize child safety awareness. We DO NOT teach bullying tactics. Self-discipline rather than aggressiveness is promoted.
A certified black belt will instruct various basic self-defense/karate techniques and forms. *No physical contact is allowed in beginner classes. Students completing the course with perfect attendance will receive an award! Testing is available for rank promotion. Each class is 45 minutes long and divided by age and ability.
Program Name: Monthly Writing Workshops: Out of your Head and onto the Pages
Dates/ Time: The second Sunday of the month: June 12 and August 14 , 2-4pm
Fee: $5 per class
Registration: Register at http://www.emrys.org/workshops-seminars/ or the fee may be paid upon arrival to the class.
Description: In partnership with the Emrys Foundation, these writing workshops will be led by various members of the Writing Room faculty. They are designed to stimulate creativity and generate ideas for fiction and nonfiction. We’ll use a series of short in-class writing exercises to inspire new work and deepen your writing. Come prepared to write in class, to share your exercises without fear or self-judgment, and above all, have some fun. All levels are welcome.
Program Name: The Greenville Chess Club
Dates/ Time: Every Thursday at 7pm
Description: The Greenville Chess Club meets at Bobby Pearse each Thursday evening at 7pm. Both rated and informal games are played, and everyone is welcome.
Program Name: The Greenville Storytellers Guild
Dates/ Time: 7-9pm on the 3rd Tuesday of each month
Fee: FREE
Description: Storytellers and listeners are welcome! The stories must be approximately ten minutes in length (or shorter) and appropriate for all audiences. Genres include local folk lore, ghost stories, family narratives and classic tales. The Greenville Storytellers Guild is open for anyone to join.
