A community-wide gathering to build self-reliance and resilience, while promoting sustainability and enhancing quality of life in the Kearsarge Valley Region, will be hosted in the Ware Campus/Student Center on the Colby-Sawyer College campus in New London on Saturday, March 30, from noon to 5 PM. Open to the public at no charge, the “Kearsarge Valley Going Local: Local Food, Local Business, Local Skills” event has been organized by the Kearsarge Valley Transition Initiative Task Force and students in the Environmental Studies Community-Based Research Project class.
The intent of this gathering is to draw upon the ideas, skills and experiences of area residents to develop positive localized solutions to address the regional impacts of larger global issues such as economic insecurity, environmental instabilities, and dependence on non-renewable energy. The day will begin with an optional brunch from noon to 1 PM that will feature live music from one of the area’s favorite folk artists, Click Horning. Brunch is $6 for adults, $3 for children.
The activities that follow will offer opportunities to identify shared interests, learn about local resources, swap and share business cards, and develop practical strategies that can be implemented in the Kearsarge Valley. The overall direction and focus for the day will also be guided by participants’ own ideas and strategies for sustaining health and well-being, creating a strong regional food system, supporting a vibrant local economy, and developing more resilience in our region. RSVPs are recommended, but walk-ins will be welcome. To RSVP, send an e-mail to Transition.Town@nullcolby-sawyer.edu or visit MeetUp.com/Transition-Kearsarge/events/102219452/.
Tina Clarke, a Certified Transition Trainer, is the guest speaker for this event. A resident of Turner Falls, Massachusetts, she has worked with over 120 Transition communities across the country, and has been a trainer, program director and consultant for 25 years, supporting and guiding leaders in over 400 local, national, regional, and local organizations. She directed citizen training programs for 17 national faith communities, and she directed Greenpeace USA’s national citizen Activist Network. She also founded and led campaigns on energy, environmental justice, and toxins for New England Clean Water Action. Most recently she was a consultant with 350.org, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, and the Sustainability Institute. Tina has an M.A. in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, a B.A. in Urban Studies from Macalester College, and is certified for mediation and consensus decision-making facilitation. Her passive solar, Platinum LEED, low-toxic, largely locally-built “Power House” won the Massachusetts utility company-sponsored competition, the Zero Energy Challenge, and the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association’s 2010 Zero Net Energy Award ZeroEnergyPowerHouse.com.
To learn more about this event or to RSVP, visit MeetUp.com/Transition-Kearsarge/events/102219452/ or KearsargeTransition.wordpress.com, or call Jenisha Shrestha at (205) 482-2699.