Community Blueberry Project Enters Phase II

Here’s a quick update on where things stand with the community blueberry project for the Forest Heights and Newtown neighborhoods in Athens.

The donation phase ended on November 30 with a total of $870 dollars raised in Forest Heights and $425 in Newtown. There are still about 10 people who pledged donations that haven’t been received yet, so those totals may climb higher. Clyde will be depositing all of the checks received within the next few days. (He held off to do it all at once to keep the process simple from a bookkeeping perspective.)

If you want to check whether or not we received your donation, you can check the status on the list of volunteers here. I’ve hidden last names, addresses, emails, phone numbers and donation amounts. If you would like greater anonymity, just let me know and I’ll remove you from the public list all together.

Next Phase

We’re currently evaluating the 30+ yards offered for hosting blueberry patches in Forest Heights and five options in Newtown. Based on the amount of donations we received, we’re expecting to purchase enough bushes for eight or nine patches in Forest Heights and three patches in Newtown. Our aim is to make our first-choice selections next week and contact the hosts to confirm.

We’ve tentatively schedule two weekends for planting: January 16-17 and January 23-24. Before then, we’ll reach out with information about participating.

If you want to learn more about the project, you can watch a replay of the video call we held last month.

A Couple More Things

You’re invited to the Forest Heights Winter Solstice Sunset Celebration.

And I just wrote about my goal to paddle 340 miles in our Oconee Rivers watershed: “13 Miles Paddled, 327 To Go.”