Ruth Blenkhorn went to Nashville, TN to attend the aptly named “Rhythm of the Road” 12th Annual International Adopt-a-Highway Association Conference Oct. 24-26. Ironically, Ruth, chair of the Nova Scotia Adopt-a-Highway committee, the other N.S. representative and a delegation from Japan were the total international component of the conference.
Nova Scotia is the only international participant that attends the conference on a regular basis. The committee tries to send a delegation every 2-3 years because “it's a great opportunity to promote the work being done in Nova Scotia and to talk to others who are interested in doing the same thing,” Ruth said.
The Nova Scotia Adopt-a-Highway is also the only group almost totally made up of volunteers. The other delegates were all employees of their state's Dept. of Transportation with budgets for their Adopt-a-Highway programs that started at $1 million.
“When you compare their budgets to ours and consider what we do with a budget of just under $40,000,” Ruth said, “we’ve accomplished quite a bit.
“We started in 1993 with 18 pilot groups and today there are over 180 groups. In 2006, there were 8,000 bags of garbage collected from 500 miles and three interchanges which involved 9,500 volunteer hours.”
The N.S. Adopt-a-Highway Committee includes representatives from the Women's Institute (Ruth and Marion Newcombe), Transportation and Public Works, Tourism and Culture, Lions Clubs, RRFB Nova Scotia and Clean Nova Scotia. They have one full-time and one part-time employee (funded by the RRFB) who coordinates the program while the actual highway clean-up is done by volunteers.
The conference was a combination of guest speakers, discussions of various issues and reports from the participants. One of the most important issues discussed was cigarette butt litter. Butts may not produce the most amount of litter, but the toxins they produce are leaching into our groundwater.
Another issue was the number of road fatalities directly attributed to highway debris; whether it was items blown onto the highway, those that fell from unsecured loads or what was tossed from vehicles.
Many original and interesting aspects to highway clean-up programs were shared: in some States prisoners are paid 50 cents per hour to do highway clean-up; some have a litter hotline where people can report those who litter; several have environmental courts that deal strictly with littering issues; and in Japan there is special accident insurance for volunteers. As well, education and awareness is very big in the States.
The vendor displays featured a variety of products and services that are available to clean up the environment. Ruth brought home many interesting recycled products such as a mug made of corn and yellow pages made into rulers.
In April, there will be a volunteer information and recognition session in Truro; a way to say thank-you to the volunteers and show them a broad picture of the Adopt-a-Highway program in the province.
Do you like making crafts? If you are ages 7-12, come to the library today from 3-4:30 p.m. for their craft program. Please sign up at the library or on the website at
www.valleylibrary.ca
The library’s Teen Lounge will be open Fri., Jan. 18 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for games, prizes, socializing and lots of fun! Please sign up at the library or on the website at
www.valleylibrary.ca.
Free one-on-one basic computer tutorials are available at the library Tues., Jan. 15 at 12:30, 1:30 or 5:30 p.m. Sign up for an hour of individualized computer help to learn things like: searching the Internet, sending and receiving e-mails and using basic computer programs. Sign up at the library or call 542-3005 to ensure you get a spot.
Everyone is invited to the Port Williams Recreation Committee's Winter Frolic '08 Sun., Jan. 20 at the Port Williams School from 3-5 p.m.
After coasting on the hill behind the school and/or skating at the rink, relax, get warm and enjoy free hot dogs, hot chocolate and Timbits in the lunchroom. Storm date is Jan. 27.
Everyone is cordially invited to the 50th Anniversary of The Murdoch C. Smith Memorial Library at the Port Williams Community Centre Auditoriuon Monday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. If you are interested in attending, contact Sylvia Jacquard at 542-1203 or e-mail sjacquar@ca.inter.net.
On Thurs. Jan 24 at 7 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Community Centre, there will be a public participation meeting for the community to give comments, ask questions about the proposed expansion of the growth centre to include the lands in the Port Williams wellfield in the Collins Rd area. Planning staff from the county as well as the developers' consultant will be present.
Baptist Church: There will be a Sunday school teachers' meeting Tues., Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Peter and Andrew Room.
Membership classes for adults and youths are to be held over three weeks from Mon., Jan. 14-28. They will be in the Peter and Andrew Room with a start time of 7 p.m. For further information contact Rev. Dave.
Greenwich United Church: "How Can We Keep from Singing!" The 100th Anniversary Celebration of 'The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity' is being celebrated Sun., Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. All congregations of the Wolfville Area Interchurch Council are encouraged to attend this celebration of prayer and song. Refreshments are to follow worship.
The Guest Speaker will be Rev. Nancy Cocks, professor at the Atlantic School of Theology. Nancy is a Presbyterian minister and author of Invisible We See You and eight children's books with hero, Fergie the Frog. Nancy has also served as the Deputy Warden of Iona Abbey, Scotland. All welcome!
PWES: It’s now time to make plans for staffing for next year and the years to come. In order to determine our numbers earlier, our primary registration days are in March.
If you have a preschooler(s), ages 0-5, in your home or you know of children in your neighbourhood who are ages 0-5, call the school by Fri., Jan. 18, 2008. Please let others know that our registration is being held in April and includes children who are, or will be, five by or on Dec. 31, 2008.
Family Literacy Night will be held Wed., Jan 23 from 6:30 to 7:30. Various community members will read to all ages. Cookies and milk will be served in the lunchroom following the readings.
Family Literacy Day is celebrated across Canada each year. This is the third year PWES has hosted an event. Last year over 100 people attended. Everyone, from preschoolers to adults, are welcome. It’s important to make time every day to read to your children.
There will be an Usborne book fair in the library during Parent-Teacher Wed., Jan. 30 and Thurs. afternoon, Jan. 31.
Horton High School: Several items of SWAG (Spirit Wear and Gifts) are still available and are now on sale for just $10. Quantities are limited. Limited edition long sleeve T-shirts are now available for $25.
