GOOD TO DO!
Community Cleanup, Franktown Road and Surrounding Area, September 15, 9am – 10am, volunteers needed to help clean up the area. Contact cfharris@hampton.gov to sign up. The more volunteers we have, the more we can clean up!
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Sign your group up for some very special, very much needed cleanups! We’ve been asked to recruit volunteers to clean up some highly littered areas on a one-time basis, or, if you really like the spot, an Adopt-A-Spot basis. These sites are all adults only, require the use of safety vests, exercising extreme caution, and working facing the traffic. They also require early morning cleanups, preferably on weekends.
Here are the sites, along with information about them:
Armistead Intersection at Hampton Roads Center Parkway: This site would work for a smaller group (approximately 10). The work would involve cleaning the roadsides of the intersection. We will provide safety signs for approaching traffic. Volunteers would be asked to minimize crossing the streets and crossing only at the intersection.
Big Bethel Road Intersection at Hampton Roads Center Parkway: This site would work for a smaller group (approximately 10). The work would involve cleaning the roadsides of the intersection. We will provide safety signs for approaching traffic. Volunteers would be asked to minimize crossing the streets and crossing only at the intersection.
Mercury at LaSalle Interchange: Because of the high volume, high-speed traffic and the blind curves at this site, we need to coordinate with Public Works to be protected by crash trucks. Despite the additional coordination, this site is the worst of the three and desperately needs cleaning. Ideally, we would have 20 – 40 volunteers at this site.
If you and your group are interested in claiming one of these sites for cleanup, please contact Cynthia at cfharris@hampton.gov.
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Visit a Hampton Waterways Restoration Project Oyster Gardening Demonstration at one or both of two local marinas! The schedule is designed to make it easy for you to come whenever you can! Register for a tour or to help oyster garden at causink@hampton.gov. Small groups are welcome!
Schedule for Sunset Creek, 4337 Kecoughtan Rd:
Sat. Sept. 23, 11:30 a.m.
Schedule for Dandy Haven, 374 Dandy Haven Rd:
MON. Sept. 18, 8:30 a.m.
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Sign up for the International Coastal Cleanup in Hampton! There will be at least nine cleanups in September and October, and all of them need you to volunteer!
9/23, 9/30, 10/14, and 10/28 you can cleanup on foot!
9/16, 9/30, and 10/7 you can cleanup by boat!
Register at causink@hampton.gov or 727-1158.
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Are you good at fundraising? Join the HCCC Fundraising Committee! Due to a tight budget situation, we need to raise money to keep our programs going. We’d welcome your help! If you’re interested, email Debbie at hccc@hampton.gov.
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Would you like to help a local school with beautification efforts? Tucker-Capps Elementary School is looking for volunteers who would be willing to partner with them throughout the year to give the school grounds some tender loving care. Contact Erika Burkholder at eburkholder@hampton.k12.va.us for more information or to sign up!
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Are you thinking of a fall garden? There are still community garden plots – FREE – sign up before they’re all gone! They’re organic sites, so you can’t beat the price. http://www.hampton.gov/2798/Community-Gardens.
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Is educating about recycling your passion? We need groups of volunteers to distribute recycling information in four areas of the city in the next couple of months or so – Buckroe, Phoebus, Wythe, and Old Northampton. Contact Debbie at hccc@hampton.gov.
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Recycle all your plastic food, beverage, and household containers!! Yay TFC Recycling for including all plastic household containers in their list of recyclables! Take advantage of the opportunity! Yogurt cups – check! Applesauce cups – check Syrup bottles - check! ! Just remember – NO foamed plastic! If you’d like some guidance, visit the Round Robin episode on recycling plastics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbsuPXIFBiQ&list=PL3761D4B106784B15&index=7.
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Take the kids in your life to Wonderful Wednesdays at Bluebird Gap Farm! Monthly, family friendly event where kids get the opportunity to get outdoors and build their own nature craft with the VCE Hampton Master Gardeners. Held every 3rd Wednesday of the month from 10:00 am—12:00 pm at Bluebird Gap Farm. The last Wonderful Wednesday for the year will be in October, so plan ahead!
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Check out the www.JoyfulSendoffs.org website! Celebrating the beginning of a new life together doesn’t have to mean litter and the suffering of wild animals. This web site is loaded with ideas for clean celebrations that don’t hurt our environment! Well worth a look!
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Share information about our upcoming events!
GOOD TO KNOW!
Litter & Recycling Awareness Newsletter – The Litter & Recycling Awareness Committee wants to issue a newsletter, perhaps monthly, that specifically focuses on “trash” topics related to litter and recycling. The plan is to have the first issue toward the end of September. If you would like to contribute information, articles, or even questions that need to be answered, please send them to Pat Parker, paparker1@cox.net.
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HCCC History! For those of you who follow us on social media, you may be puzzled about a series of posts that start off with HCCC History! Mystery solved – June 28, 2018 will be HCCC’s 40th anniversary, and we’re highlighting volunteers and achievements from the past to the best of our ability. If YOU have photos, stories, experiences, or mementos that you would like to share with us, we’d love them! In the regard to the mementos, please send photos of them. J The following are two stories we posted this week, with a little extra information:
HCCC History! Day of Caring, September 9, 2005, Mary Peake Center. Many volunteers descended on the school and planted a garden, cleaned up the creekside outdoor classroom, assembled tables for the outdoor classroom / garden area, and more! Betsy McAllister, science teacher at Mary Peake, led the garden efforts.
HCCC History! Volunteers at Party at the Point raised money for the Keep Hampton Green Fund to plant trees, September 6, 1991. Pedro (sorry no last name), Cindy and Wayne Holm, Elyse Brown, and Mary Atkinson volunteered on this date!
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Drop-off Recycling Information – if you live in an apartment or condominium and don’t have recycling provided by your management, or if you have a lot of extra recyclables for some reason, you can use one of Hampton’s three drop-off containers! They’re located at the Hampton Yard Waste Site, 100 North Park Lane (just off Big Bethel Road); Briarfield Park, 1540 Briarfield Road; and Gosnold’s Hope Park, 900 Little Back River Road. All these sites accept the same materials that are accepted in the curbside recycling program! Including the cartons and plastics!
GOOD DEED
If you see a good Clean City deed being done, send us the information and we’ll give kudos to the good-deed-doer!
GOOD TO SHARE!
Thinking of making candles in preparation for the coming holidays? An HCCC volunteer has several that could be melted and made into new candles. If you’re interested, let Cynthia know at cfharris@hampton.gov.
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Do you have an extra VERY large aquarium or vivarium? Boy Scout Troop 151 leaders are looking for a cage or an aquarium for a Boy Scout’s bearded dragon. If you know of someone that has one they could give to a needy Scout, it would be greatly appreciated. Contact Debbie at hccc@hampton.gov to be connected.
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Free plants to give to GOOD HOMES! An HCCC volunteer has Louisiana Irises - Black Game Cock and mauve-colored – to give away. Both prefer moist conditions or need to be watered at least three times a week, and can be grown in boggy areas. They need at least four hours of sun or blooming will decrease. Also available are two kinds of daylilies - dark yellow and triple-flowering historic day lilies hybridized in 1867. The new plant parents can dig them up in late September. Contact Melanie at Myfren@yahoo.com.
NEED VOLUNTEERS!
Throughout the year: Dandy Haven Oyster Gardening, Dandy Haven Marina, flexible times. The Dandy Haven Oyster Garden is one of two demonstration gardens the Hampton Waterways Restoration Project is hosting to encourage people to engage in oyster gardening and to allow those who don’t have access to water the opportunity to oyster garden. Volunteers will help tend the garden, cleaning, removing “critters”, and making sure the baby oysters are happy. Contact Cris at causink@hampton.gov for information and to sign up.
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International Coastal Cleanup, varying sites, September 2 – October 28, volunteers are needed to lead cleanup sites and participate in cleanups. Contact causink@hampton.gov to sign up.
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Community Appearance & Litter Index, October 4, 8:30am – 4:30pm, volunteers needed to evaluate Hampton’s appearance in terms of litter, abandoned vehicles, graffiti, illegal signs, and outdoor storage. Lunch is included, ages 16 years and older only. Contact hccc@hampton.gov to sign up.
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Schools Appearance Index, October 28, 9am – 5pm, ten volunteers are needed to conduct the annual Schools Index. Volunteers will be trained in using the index instrument, then be driven by van to all school sites. Lunch is included in this event. Sign up at hccc@hampton.gov.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES!
ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Looking for Recycling Feedback: What do you need to know to be the best recycler you can be? Email hccc@hampton.gov
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Looking for NEWSLETTER Feedback: What do we need to do to give you a newsletter you can use? Email hccc@hampton.gov
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Looking for nominations for:
Littered areas to target for cleanups, hccc@hampton.gov - we're working toward setting up special cleanups for nominated areas based on safety and time available
Clean & Green Businesses (litter prevention, beautification, waste reduction, and environmental community service), http://hampton.gov/FormCenter/Hampton-Boards-Commissions--Committees-5/Hampton-Clean-City-Commission-Clean--Gre-64 - we award the Hampton Clean & Green Business Award quarterly, and are working toward a recognition for green businesses, let us know who they are!
Good-Deed-Doers to feature in the HCCC News – contact Debbie at hccc@hampton.gov.
UPCOMING MEETINGS!
All HCCC meetings are open to the public, and we welcome your participation!
September 11: YARDS Judging, HCCC Office, 1296 Thomas Street, 8:30am, information at hccc@hampton.gov
September 12: HCCC Full Commission Meeting, Hampton City Hall, 5th Floor, Community Development Conference Room, 3:30pm, information at hccc@hampton.gov
September 14: HWRP Meeting, Ft Monroe Community Center Community Room, 100 Stilwell Road, 6:30pm, information at causink@hampton.gov.
September 18: Yard of the Year Judging, HCCC Office, 1296 Thomas Street, 8:30am, information at hccc@hampton.gov
September 19: Clean & Green Businesses Committee Meeting, HCCC Office, 1296 Thomas Street, 3:30pm, information at hccc@hampton.gov
September 21: Volunteer Manual Committee Meeting, HCCC Office, 1296 Thomas Street, 3:30pm, information at hccc@hampton.gov
October 5: Litter & Recycling Awareness Committee Meeting, HCCC Office, 1296 Thomas Street, 11:30am, information at hccc@hampton.gov
LOOKING FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS!
Hampton Clean City Commission Board – oversees the programs and projects of the Hampton Clean City Commission and focuses on recognizing volunteers, board members are appointed by City Council. Contact hccc@hampton.gov for more information. Fill out a Board Bank application at https://hampton.granicus.com/boards/forms/239/apply/623877?code=34def5d9-e341-4ae1-9448-a571250065f4. We’re not actively looking now, but you never know when we will be, so sign up now through the Board Bank! You’re always welcome to attend and help out!
Beautification Committee – works on a variety of projects including the YARDS Contest, tree tours, beautification projects, and education. Contact hccc@hampton.gov
Clean & Green Business Committee – works on the quarterly Clean & Green Business Awards, the Virginia Peninsula Clean Business Awards breakfast, and other workplace related projects. Contact hccc@hampton.gov
Hampton Waterways Restoration Project – works on a variety of clean waterway projects, including shoreline cleanups, water monitoring, and education. Contact causink@hampton.gov
Litter & Recycling Awareness Committee – works on cleaning up Hampton through special cleanups and the Adopt-A-Spot program, as well as encouraging litter-free events, solid waste education efforts, and trash tours. Contact hccc@hampton.gov
School Pride In Action Committee – educators (formal and informal) who encourage environmental lessons and activities in the classroom and on the school grounds, as well as emphasizing teacher education. Contact hccc@hampton.gov