|
The Outreach Program at MDE had a banner year from an education and promotional perspective. With more than 41 events, traveling from one end of the state to the other, our talented group of educators and outreach coordination personnel spread the news about the activities and accomplishments performed by our agency.
The year began with January’s Maryland Watermen’s Expos in Ocean City where our MDE display and staff were available for information exchange with the watermen. February found us “down the ocean” again for the MAEOE (Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Educators) conference. March was not idle, as we displayed for two weekends at the Maryland Home & Garden Show at Timonium, followed by the Children’s Water Festival at Chesapeake College, and the Department of Agriculture’s open house.
Spring Arrives with a Flurry of Activity
We participated in the Chesapeake Environmental Health Conference at Martin’s West and visited schools with our interactive Grime Crime program, featuring Secretary Philbrick and Attorney General Curran. The Earth Day Celebration, commemorated nationwide on April 22, featured an invitation for local community participation in “Talking Trash.” An environmental photo contest for high school students was also held here at our Washington Boulevard office. MDE volunteers demonstrated the Chesapeake Watershed model at the Waterfront Festival during the Volvo Around the World Race at Baltimore’s inner harbor and the Annapolis Maritime Heritage Festival. On the same weekend, we covered the Baltimore Flower Mart and Towsontown Festival.
Spring also sprung many ecological promotions such as Clean Commute Month, Bike to Work Week, the Tawes Awards and the Green Schools Awards. June found the Governor Ehrlich and Lt Governor Steele in Pigtown for a Tot-Lot dedication
We attended the MML (Maryland Municipal League) Convention in Ocean City, then rounded out the summer with Car Care Clinics, a Pigtown Nightout in August and Festival in September, the MACO (Maryland Association of County’s) Conference in Ocean City and the Maryland State Fair.
Fall had us at the MAR (Maryland Association of Realtors) Conference in Ocean City, the Baltimore inner harbor for World Wide Water Monitoring Day, a visit to Fairland Park, an educational demonstration area to teach about stormwater runoff. October found Governor Ehrlich proclaiming Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, and workshops with MDE and the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP).
November saw America Recycles Day celebrated with a recycled sculpture contest, open to high schools across the state, and the Business for the Bay Awards. MDE also entered a decorated Christmas tree at Kennedy Krieger’s Festival of Trees at Timonium, a holiday charity fund raiser, and came away with a third place ribbon for our “Treasure the Chesapeake” tree.
Let’s All Go to the Lobby
Throughout the year we maintain lobby displays with monthly themes and provide tours of the Montgomery Park green building. With too many school, community and business visits to mention, each administration’s outreach staff looks forward to the new year of starting all over again, meeting new students, citizens and stakeholders and keeping the good word out about MDE’s mission to protect and restore Maryland’s environment.
|
