Donation will help start river program
By Erin McKeon
The Facts
Published February 29, 2008
BRAZORIA — A donation will allow Friends of the River San Bernard members to
educate youth about the San Bernard River and the environment surrounding it,
officials said, opening an avenue they have been wanting to pursue.
Dow Chemical Co. presented a check for $15,000 to the Friends of the River San
Bernard to use in educating children about the environment and the San Bernard
River specifically, said Jan Edwards, a representative with Friends of the
River.
The check was presented Saturday night during the organization’s annual State of
the River Town Hall Meeting at Dido’s Restaurant on the San Bernard River, which
was filled to capacity for the event, Edwards said.
“The Friends of the River have demonstrated that they are committed to
environmental conservation and can achieve great things when they set out to
accomplish a goal, so we are very proud to support them in their efforts to
teach young people about the importance of caring for the river and all our
natural resources,” Dow Environmental, Health and Safety Delivery Leader John
Cook said in a press release.
Part of the donation will be used for the F.O.R. Rangers youth program to
educate children ages 10 to 15 about the river, Edwards said.
“Really it’s a two-part program,” Friends of the River Committee Chair Emily
Myers said. “The first part would be going into schools and teaching them a
little bit about the river, and the second thing would be to get the kids
involved, doing fishing field trips and that kind of thing.”
The goal of the program, which still is in the planning stage, is to teach about
the ecology, wildlife and environmental aspects of the river, and the river
itself, Myers said.
The money also will fund message kiosks that soon will be put up at boat ramps
along the San Bernard River at FM 521 and FM 2611, as well as at the Friends of
the River San Bernard Community Center, Edwards said.
“Anytime that there’s a river rise, some environmental concern or some dumping
in the river, there will be a message on the board,” Edwards said. “If there’s
something wrong with the river and they shouldn’t be in the water, there will be
something on the board about it.”
The third annual Ralph Primeau Memorial Award also was presented during the
meeting to Pat and Connie Webb, Edwards said.
“I just want to make sure people know that I think there are so many people that
are deserving,” Connie Webb said. “I’m still in shock. They don’t give out two
awards, and for both of us to receive this award is really an honor. I still
can’t hardly talk about it.”
The award usually is given to one person who gave the most to help the river in
the previous year, but this year it was decided it was a team effort, Edwards
said.
Erin McKeon covers West of the Brazos communities for The Facts. Contact her at
(979) 237-0152.