Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Community Outreach Activities

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Kenneth Mosley
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1 Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Community Outreach Activities The District strives to communicate, educate, and demonstrate its positive impact on the environment through interacting and building relationships with the public. Many opportunities exist for employee involvement. Here are just a few. If interested, please call or the employee designated as the contact person. Special Events External Earthfest is a community based event that helps families learn about environmental issues facing Northeast Ohio and the planet and begin to take the first steps in working together to conserve, protect and restore our environment. Date for 2004: Sunday, April 18, 2004 at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. District regularly rents a booth to distribute information about wastewater treatment and protecting water quality. Coastweeks The 23 rd annual nationwide Coastweeks sponsored by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission is dedicated to fostering awareness, understanding and improved management of the coast. The event will be held between August 21 and September 24, It is Ohio s largest month-long volunteer effort to clean up our Lake Erie shoreline and its watersheds. Shoreline and watershed clean-ups and an information table at the Lake Erie Day Celebration at the Great Lakes Science Center will be opportunities to participate. Lake Erie Day Celebration As part of National Coastweeks the Great Lakes Science Center will host their fifth annual celebration. The event invites recreational, educational, sport, commercial and environmental organizations to join together to increase the public s awareness of Lake Erie as a valuable natural resource. The event will take place Saturday, September 18, There will be a table for information on wastewater and water quality and use of the Northcoast Harbor for boat demonstrations and display. 1

2 Home, Garden and Flower Show is the largest show of its type to showcase the latest trends in home and garden design, how to demonstrations, floral design classes, children s activities, musical entertainment, culinary delights and much more. Date for 2004: February 7-15 District Contact: Kim Jones (JonesK@neorsd.org) Educational Outreach Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day This is a national event designed to help children begin to think about how to participate as an adult in the workplace. A terrific opportunity to introduce our own children to work opportunities they may not have considered otherwise. By providing a glimpse of what their parent does, the work and services of the District we may even plant the seed to cultivate a future water quality professional. The event will be held on Thursday, April 22, Career Days offer an opportunity for District employees to share their work experience with elementary, middle and high school students. Employees typically visit area schools and talk to classrooms of 20 to 35 students. Science and Math Initiatives (STEP) is an educational outreach program that peaks the interest of middle school students in the areas of mathematics, science, engineering and other technical related fields. Students have an opportunity to visit different organizations, one Saturday of every month, observe/ and participate in the different technologies and understand how they are used in the world that they live in. They will not visit the District again until District Contact: Eutha Jones (JonesE@neorsd.org) Tutoring District READS (Reading Encourages And Develops Success) is a weekly tutoring program formed in 2001 in cooperation with Clark Elementary and the Ohio Reads initiative. During the school year, volunteer employees spend a half-hour a week with small groups of second-grade students to read to and also with them. This program was designed to help improve students reading skills and proficiency test scores. 2

3 Classroom Demonstrations and Lectures allow District employees to take their show on the road and share the scientific and technical aspects of their job in a classroom setting. Typically involves middle and high school students. Science Olympiad The District coaches the water quality section, Division B (Grades 6 9), of the Cuyahoga Heights Science Olympiad team. The Science Olympiad is North America s most prestigious team science and technology competition. The Ohio State Tournament will happen on the campus of The Ohio State University on April 24, District Contact: Bill Mack (MackW@neorsd.org) Corporate Partnership The District established a corporate partnership with Clark Elementary, an inner-city school on the near west side, in 1996 to help improve students proficiency test scores and promote interest in the technical fields of math and science. Through 2003, the District has subsidized the purchase of science materials, donated used furniture and supplies, and sponsored school functions at which many employees have volunteered. The District has since partnered with the Carl and Lewis Stokes/Central Academy, as well. District Contacts: Clark Elementary School - John Gonzalez (GonzalezJ@neorsd.org) Carl and Louis Stokes/Central Academy - Darnella Robertson (RobertsonD@neorsd.org) Public Outreach Public Meetings To keep our customers informed and garner support, the District conducts public meetings to discuss sensitive issues such as rate increases and major construction projects. These presentations give our customers a chance to ask questions and voice their opinions. Typically advertised in community newspapers, we hold these meetings at widely accessible locations such as public libraries and community centers. Employees are encouraged to attend. District Contact: Kim Jones (JonesK@neorsd.org) Event Tables and Tickets Periodically, the District will purchase tickets or tables at special events to help non-profits raise operating funds. Employees are invited to attend the event as District representatives at no personal cost. Although Senior Staff and the Board of Trustees get first pick, remaining tickets are distributed on a first come first serve basis. District Contact: Kimberly Shores (ShoresK@neorsd.org) 3

4 Environmental and Research Projects As part of our strategic partnerships with governmental entities, community groups and non-profits, the District lends its expertise to research projects and community activities that complement our mission, values or strategic objectives. Usually, specific employees are asked to participate in such initiatives. However, we will post more information and the names of District contacts as further opportunities for employee participation arise. Public Service Household Hazardous Waste Round Up The District supports a hazardous waste collection in conjunction with the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District to help reduce the amount of dangerous materials entering the environment. NEORSD personnel have volunteered to man the collection sites for these events. District Contact: Keith Linn (LinnK@neorsd.org) Mercury Thermometer Exchange District facilities have served as thermometer exchange sites during the household hazardous waste collection events. At these sites, residents may obtain free digital fever thermometer by delivering mercury-containing thermometers in a sealed plastic bag or plastic container. Mercury is a highly toxic environmental pollutant, and the NEORSD is facing increasingly stringent regulatory requirements to control mercury that can enter the sewer system. In anticipation of these requirements, the NEORSD has expanded the thermometer exchanges to include additional collection events in cooperation with the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District as well as an ongoing thermometer exchange at the NEORSD Environmental & Maintenance Services Center. Thousands of thermometers have been exchanged, and hundreds of pounds of mercury and mercury-containing items have been collected for proper disposal. For more information regarding the NEORSD Mercury Program, call or MercuryProgram@neorsd.org District Contact: Keith Linn (LinnK@neorsd.org) Philanthropic Involvement Charity Choice is an annual fundraising campaign to benefit the United Way, Community Shares, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and their nearly 200 partner agencies and organizations. In 2003, more than 59% of the District s workforce contributed to the campaign, raising over $35,000. 4

5 Holiday Drive is a Christmas-season collection of gifts for area charities and familiesin-need. Employees donate gifts, food, and money to six local organizations and several struggling families chosen by the Red Cross and our corporate partner schools. 5

Our mission is to foster growth and community through information and creative experience. STRATEGIC PLAN. n Samantha Millsap, Director

Our mission is to foster growth and community through information and creative experience. STRATEGIC PLAN n Samantha Millsap, Director 2016 to 2019 Acknowledgements The Hodgkins Public Library wishes to