Many thanks to everyone who participated in and contributed to our 2019 Annual Meeting.
Green was the unofficial theme of the night. Attendees conversed amid jungle greenery while enjoying dinner with the entirely compostable tableware and utensils generously provided by our amazing hosts, Cell Signalling Technology (CST). Following dinner, reports from Board President Dick Jacobson and Treasurer Brian Tinger laid out the excellent year Ipswich River has had. Executive Director Wayne Castonguay spoke about ongoing projects and upcoming events, promising that 2019 would show even more successes for our river.
Then next part of the evening was an exciting departure from the usual format. Eleven incredible high schoolers continued the green theme by leading a Greenscapes Cafe. A combination of their usual Climate Cafes and the Greenscapes Coalition’s in-class education program, the students first demonstrated Greenscapes stations to our attendees in small groups. The stations are used to teach about where water comes from, what it’s used for, how it gets dirty and the ways everyone can take part in keeping it clean and plentiful.
The students blew everyone away with their poise, enthusiasm and drive. “The student presentations added an important dimension to the annual meeting, and I was encouraged by the enthusiasm, knowledge, and eloquence the students brought to the task of educating their audiences about environmental issues and priorities. I was grateful for the opportunity to talk with such an inspiring group, and to thank them personally for their efforts,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R – Gloucester). “The Ipswich River Watershed Association is motivating young people to be involved in protecting and promoting the watershed for generations to come.”
Margot Kelley, who introduced the activity and served as the student lead for the night said, “Although there were some stressful moments in the planning and execution of the night, I am very proud of my Climate Cafe team for their flexibility and improvisation using the Greenscapes. It was our first time using them and we all learned something new and interesting that will shape our daily lives. They are an incredible resource for students of any age to use.”
After the stations, the student facilitators led discussions that ranged from treasured memories of the river, volunteer work done to improve river access, challenges impacting the river and more. “In [the] smaller discussion groups,” said student facilitator Marianna, “the questions were thought provoking, and the group members were very engaged.”
These excellent conversations, indeed the entire night, would not have been possible without CST. It takes a village to put on an Annual Meeting, and at CST we had it. Big thanks to CST for providing IT support, extra support for cleanup from the CleanCo crew, legal support for contracts, table cloths, kitchen supplies, and compostable plates from Chef Mike and more. Huge thanks to CST Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Krystyna Hincman for being so welcoming and helpful and making a surprise announcement that CST will support Paddle-a-thon & Riverfest, our signature event to raise awareness and money for clean water AND have fun on the river together, with a generous, special grant of $5,000. Wow!
Student facilitator Mei summed the night up wonderfully. “The Climate Cafe was very successful and I believe that it’s not only important to voice one’s opinion, but also listen. The Cafes promote active and engaging discussion, which I think is important, especially in such a tight-knit community, like the Ipswich River. I loved being apart of the IRWA Annual Meeting and I look forward to working with some of the participants in the future.”
Thank you again to everyone who attended, to the amazing Climate Cafe students and our fabulous CST hosts. We hope the entire evening was energizing and gave you renewed energy to be a voice for the river in your community.
Read more from the student facilitators here.
[blog_subscription_form title=”Subscribe For More River Updates”]