Annual 2014 Report NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR Care for it, enjoy it, pass it on K. DiBonaventura Message from the Chairman 2014 was an exciting year for The Last Green Valley, Inc. (TLGV). The fiscal year started with a celebratory turn as the Grand Marshal in the region’s Holiday Dazzle Light Parade, in recognition of the National Heritage Corridor’s 20th Anniversary. The year ended with another champagne cork-popping piece of news – our federal legislation was amended to formally change our name to The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor, and our federal funding was reauthorized until 2021. While this legislation doesn’t guarantee any dollar amount in a given year, it reaffirms that The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor is eligible and worthy of continued federal investment. Green by day TLGV is grateful for the support of Senator Richard Blumenthal, who introduced the legislation in the Senate, and Congressman Joseph and dark by Courtney, who introduced the legislation in the House. TLGV would also like to thank Senators Elizabeth Warren and Christopher Murphy, and Congressmen Richard Neal and James McGovern, for co-sponsoring this legislation and for their continued support of our National Heritage Corridor. night, The Last 2014 was also a year of staff transitions. We said goodbye to Charlene Cutler, our Executive Director for 17 years. She accepted a Green Valley challenging position as the first Executive Director of the Blackstone National Heritage Corridor, and we are excited to continue working with her in her new role. Valerie Imre and Michelle Bourgeois also departed to pursue other opportunities. is still 77% The Board of Directors appointed our Deputy Director, Lois Bruinooge, as Executive Director, and TLGV hired Marcy Dawley as a Project Administrator. Lois is an environmental attorney by trade and has considerable legal and management experience working for non- forest and field. profits and state agencies. Marcy has been a volunteer Lead Ranger for TLGV for some time and is a welcome addition to our staff. Together, we Walktober was again a huge success, due to the wonderful work of our partner organizations in pulling together more than 160 walks, bikes, paddles, pedals, and special events. More than 60,000 people were able to experience all The Last Green Valley has to offer and we invite you to join us again for the 25th Anniversary of Walktober in 2015. can care for it, Tastes of the Valley, our annual feast and fundraiser, also drew a record crowd and raised more than $20,000 to support TLGV’s enjoy it, and programs and projects. Again, we could not have hosted such a successful and enjoyable event without the hard work of our volunteers, donors, farms, restaurants, beverage providers, and sponsors. pass it on. To all of our members, donors, volunteers and partners, we thank you. We could not provide the depth and breadth of programming that you have come to expect without your support. We work for you in the National Heritage Corridor, and your input is critical to our success. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or would just like to chat about our work, please feel free to contact Lois or me through the office at 860-774-3300. We look forward to continuing to provide high quality programs and events in 2015 that celebrate and conserve The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor. Green by day and dark by night, The Last Green Valley is still 77% forest and field. Together, we can care for it, enjoy it, and pass it on. Bill Jobbagy, Chairman, Board of Directors 1 TLGV Rangers Share their Love for THE LAST GREEN VALLEY Friendly TLGV Rangers and other Light Parade is a spectacular volunteers participated in 40 event with more than 120 events, fairs and festivals, helping brightly lit floats viewed by to educate thousands of people 20,000 spectators lining the about The Last Green Valley streets. As Grand Marshal, National Heritage Corridor. TLGV helped to establish the first litter-free parade – In November of 2013, TLGV was TLGV supplied trash bags to also named Grand Marshal of volunteers from HighPointe the 2013 Holiday Dazzle Light Church and spectators, and Parade in Putnam, CT, kicking encouraged them to clean up off the 20th Anniversary of after themselves along the National Heritage Corridor. TLGV parade route. TLGV and the entered an impressive float and Green Flash mob marched again organized the first TLGV Green in 2014 with a recreation-themed Flash Mob of marchers wearing float and another successful green lights. The Holiday Dazzle litter-free campaign. Did you see us in 2014 at these events? Look for us in 2015: TLGV BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2014-2015 TLGV STAFF • YMCA Healthy Kids Day in Danielson • Lebanon Country Fair Bill Jobbagy, Chairman Elaine Knowlton Lois Bruinooge Coventry, CT Brooklyn, CT Executive Director • UCONN Earth Day Spring Fling • Dudley Farmers’ Market Mike Nelson, Vice Chairman Alix McNitt Bill Reid • Charlton Earth Day Festival • Woodstock Fair Norwich, CT Sturbridge, MA Chief Ranger • Sturbridge Lions All American • Killingly Cooks & Tomato Festival Myra Ambrogi, Secretary Norma O’Leary Sharon Wakely River Race • Celebrating Agriculture in Woodstock Plainfield, CT Thompson, CT Finance Administrator • Putnam First Fridays • Positively Pomfret Day Thomas E. Dufresne, Treasurer Wayde Schmidt LyAnn Graff • Putnam Beautification Day • Thompson Community Day Pomfret, CT Southbridge, MA Office Coordinator • Charlton Annual Spring Day • Fort Hill Farms Balloon Rides Donna Baron Joan St. Ament Marcy Dawley • Willimantic Third Thursdays in Thompson Lebanon, CT Woodstock, CT Project Administrator • Willimantic River Festival • Walktober events throughout the Elsie Bisset Jean Sullivan National Heritage Corridor Contractors • Southbridge FEST Brimfield, MA Voluntown, CT • Coventry Harvest Day Festival Christine Armstrong • Norwich River Fest Janet Blanchette Eric Thomas Education Outreach • Paddle for a Cure in Brooklyn • Webster/Dudley/Oxford Business & CT Governor’s Designee Thompson, CT Home Show Coordinator • Dudley Grange Strawberry Fest Rick Hermonot Coventry, CT Jean Pillo • Roseland Cottage Fine Arts and Sterling, CT Jason Vincent • Schott Fiberoptics Employee Fair Water Quality Monitoring Crafts Festival in Woodstock Griswold, CT in Southbridge Ed Hood and TRBP Coordinator • Pumpkin Festival in Putnam Sturbridge, MA Mark Winne • Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market Jennifer Kaufman Charlton, MA • Bozrah Farmers Market Mansfield, CT 2 Book a TLGV Ranger talk for your organization in TLGV Rangers LEAD THE WAY 2015. Ranger presentations currently available include: TLGV Rangers and other TLGV Ranger Talks Connect People to the • Your Green Oasis: volunteers provided more than National Heritage Corridor The Forests of The Last 900 hours of volunteer service Green Valley educating people about The Chief Ranger Bill shared his love of The Last Green Valley in 37 Last Green Valley’s unique presentations to area non-profits and community organizations • On The Wild Side: natural and cultural resources – with an estimated 840 total people in attendance. Exploring the Flora thank you! and Fauna of The Last • Lebanon Historical Society • Scotland Library Green Valley Our incredibly helpful and • Canterbury Lions Club • Danielson Rotary Club • Notable and Notorious: informative Rangers are: Steven • Rhode Island Canoe and • Sturbridge Senior Center Ayer, Christine Armstrong, Curious and Infamous Kayak Club • Oxford Business Association Tineke Brinks, Janet Blanchette, Characters from • Mansfield Lion’s Club • Sturbridge Rotary Club Steve Broderick, Bill Campbell, The Last Green Valley • Sturbridge Historical Society Naomi Campbell, Ken • Lebanon Senior Center • Connecting the Drops: Carpenter, Marcy Dawley (Lead • Norwich Sunshine Rotary • Finnish American Society Source to Sea Through Club Ranger), LyAnn Graff, Lucille • Franklin Historical Society The Last Green Valley Langlois, Kitty Lowenthal, Larry • Lebanon Senior Center • Bartlett High School Lowenthal, Mike Mathewson, • Take a Walk in • Dudley Women’s Club PASS Program Cyd Norris, Jean Pillo, Nancy The Last Green Valley • Thompson Lion’s Club Polydys, Bill Reid (Chief Ranger) • Day Kimball Hospital • The Last Green Valley: and Barbara Vizoyan. • Coventry Historical Society • Mansfield Public Library It’s Where You Live • The Overlook in Charlton • Association of University In addition to our Rangers, • Corbin Library in Webster Women at Waterford Library we’d like to thank several other people who volunteered • Dudley Senior Center • Griswold Historical Society at the TLGV exhibit booths • LiR, Quinebaug Valley • Southbridge Library If you haven’t already seen it, and member events including: Community College • Eastern CT State University watch for Chief Ranger Bill’s Myra Ambrogi, Tom Brennan, • Pomfret Senior Center Conservation Class weekly column in the Norwich Wendy Brennan, Beverly • Adventures in Lifelong • Series of Ranger talks at the Bulletin focusing on places Butkiewicz, Ken Butkiewicz, Learning, Three Rivers TLGV office in Danielson to explore in The Last Green Laura Moorehead, Scott Community College Moorehead, Wayde Schmidt Valley. Look for our press and Joan St. Ament. • Thompson Recreation/Library releases and “It’s Happening” ads in local publications, and check local cable channels for TLGV appearances. “Like” our Facebook page We are always looking for more (greatly enhanced, thanks TLGV Rangers and volunteers. Care for it to Lead Ranger Marcy) to Call Chief Ranger Bill