Laura Cole's April Update

The River Towns Outreach Corps hit the ground running for the month of April! I attended the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative (CLI) Summit Conference in the beginning of the month; in particular, I attended sessions on trail planning, environmental and economic sustainability through local agriculture, and connecting people with trails. I also spent a day in Maryland touring the towns of Cumberland and Frostburg, specifically to visit local businesses and assess trail accessibility. Near the end of the month, RTOC met with GTECH Strategies to discuss community development as it was relevant to the work we’re doing in the river towns.

I’ve also been busy working in the towns, as well. I attended the Hammer In at Young’s Foundry in Rices Landing, which was an interesting opportunity to see a historic piece of the town and meet some of the community members. In addition to meeting with members of the Point Marion Rotary Club and introducing the River Towns Program, I’ve also been helping to plan Point Marion’s Annual Albert Gallatin Regatta Parade over Memorial Day weekend. I helped to plan and market Connellsville’s Earth Day event, which marked the 3rd Annual SCA Clean-Up in the town. I also traveled to Greensboro to attend a Farmers’ Market planning meeting for the borough’s first ever Farmers’ Market.

When not at trainings, or working on site in the towns, I’ve been busy compiling Town Reports and Business Directories for both Greensboro and Rices Landing (the two communities that I am acting as the point-person for). I’ve also been researching Crime and River Access Issues along the Upper Monongahela River, specifically focusing on the towns that we are working in.

Between developing relationships with our communities, planning and attending events, and traveling for trainings, we have been going non-stop – as you can see, it’s been a productive month, and I look forward to many more like it!