Photography Exhibit (continued)
“The Photographers have all donated their time and expertise to the project and the Lewisburg Studio is donating the printing, mounting, and matting.” says John Gardner, owner of the Lewisburg Studio and a strong supporter of the Conservancy.  Framing is also available, with a percentage of those proceeds also going to the Conservancy.  The photographs are priced at $39 for an 8-inch by 10-inch image, $59 for an 11-inch by 14-inch image, and $99 for a 16-inch by 20-inch image.             “We hope to make this exhibit just the beginning of a beautiful collection of nature images captured on the Linn Conservancy trails,” Mr. Gardner says. “We are willing to accept images from other photographers if they are willing to donate their time and talents to this ongoing project.”

 
New Board Members (continued)
Ms. Warner-Mills has been involved extensively in community and civic activities in the Lewisburg area. She currently serves on the boards of the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership, the Lewisburg Neighborhoods Corporation and the Lewisburg Planning Commission and is a member of the Countywide Advisory Team for the Union County Comprehensive Plan.
She was president of the League of Women Voters of the Lewisburg Area and was also on the board of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania. On behalf of the Pennsylvania League, Ms. Warner-Mills founded and managed Community Connection, a statewide support system for collaborative community planning and problem-solving.    
She works as a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Penn One in Lewisburg and is certified as one of the region’s few EcoBrokers—real estate professionals with training in energy efficiency and environmentally sensitive design in real estate properties. She is completing coursework for a green designation from the National Association of Realtors. 
                   Lori Weaver joins the Linn Board with a background in elementary and alternative education with 20 years experience and a deep commitment to helping young people identify their passions and develop a love of learning. Ms. Weaver has taught at the elementary level for both the Lewisburg Area and Mifflinburg Area School Districts. She worked most recently an alternative education instructor for sixth through 12th grades with SUN Alternative Education Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit.
                  Ms. Weaver’s educational background includes many self-initiated environmental projects such as the creation of an outdoor nature area classroom, development of a student-designed environmental pamphlet for Union County residents, establishment of an environmental library for teacher and student use and the coordination of a student-led workshop on alternatives to chemical pesticide use at the Chesapeake Bay Conference.
Development (continued)
The Conservancy Development Committee, now chaired by Susan Warner-Mills, is looking toward new projects to raise money for the organization’s many activities. According to Ms. Warner-Mills, “We have also recently solicited support from individual donors for our legal enforcement fund which is tapped when the need to enforce the terms of our easements arises. “Our principal support comes from our annual membership donations.  We are not just maintaining our strong membership base, but are growing in numbers.  Additionally, our members are very generous in providing donations in excess of the basic membership cost,” she says.  She indicated that the Development Committee has targeted the following activities:
  • Sizable monetary donations for the Linn Native Plant Sale, the Conservancy’s most successful fund-raiser to date.
  • Purchase of our natural fiber T-shirts.
  • Monetary donations to our general unrestricted funds.
  • Memorial contributions in memory of a loved one who has passed away.
 All contributions can be made to the Linn Conservancy and sent to P.O. Box 501, Lewisburg, PA 17837
Smart Neighborhood Plan (continued)

Five Mifflinburg Area High School students who wrote outstanding essays exploring ways to make their community greener and more environmentally friendly have been honored by the Linn Conservancy. The Conservancy, sponsor of the Smart Neighborhood Plan contest, awarded certificates and cash prizes to the students, who are all beginning their senior year at Mifflinburg High School.
                  Shane Kiefer and Jacob Puterbaugh who collaborated on “Changing Union County for a Greener Way of Living” received first place honors. Haydn Derr and Evan Decker took second place with their “Stay Green!” essay. Jade Enders’s essay, “A Greener Union,” received third place. The essays were judged on the basis of creative thinking, content accuracy and clear writing. The students worked under the direction of Mifflinburg Area High School’s Stacy Reitenbach.

 
Planning Contest (continued)

Three Mifflinburg Intermediate School students were awarded top honors in the Conservancy’s Union County planning contest during an awards ceremony held at the historic Dale/Engle/Walker House during a Caring for Communities event this past May. Vanessa Lloyd received first place honors and a check for $20; Katelyn Brouse was named second place winner and Sheyna Mabus was award third place. Both received $15. All participating students received certificates from the Conservancy and free passes to Reptiland.
                  Inspired by “Cultivating Community: A Plan for Union County’s Future,” the 10-year comprehensive plan that is now nearing completion, the contest challenged students to use the concept of smart growth to investigate what good community planning means to their own community. Following the process laid out by Union County planners, fifth grade teacher Christine Hackenburg and her students discussed their ideas of what a community is and should be and highlighted features they felt were important for a community to have to be a great place to live, work and play.
                  The class then compiled a photographic tour of land use in their area in the form of a scrapbook with each student selecting a different aspect of community land use.  The Linn Conservancy’s Education Committee sponsored this classroom effort to encourage students to explore and develop their values about community early in life. 

 
Cultivating Community Draft Plan Available (continued)

Union County now has a draft plan for Cultivating Community: A Plan for Union County's Future. The draft is the latest step in the planning process that will result in a new comprehensive plan for the County as well as multi-municipal plans for three regions within the County. The plan is intended to guide decision-makers in managing future growth, promoting sustainable economic development, and preserving its rural landscape.

During the planning process, public opinion has been sought out through forums, surveys and online comments. To read the draft plan go to www.cultivatingcommunity.net and click on draft plan. Citizens are invited to respond online or by contacting the Union County Planning Commission at 155 North 15th Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837.