February 11, 2008
For immediate release. Please announce the following not-for-profit event:
Friends Of the River San Bernard Host 3rd Annual Town Hall Meeting
F.O.R. is celebrating our community’s being together with our third annual “State of the River” Town Hall Meeting. In recognition of that event, the accomplishments made during that time, the state of the river – past and present, and to introduce the current Board of Directors, committees and their chairs, every friend of the river should make plans to attend the 3rd Annual Friends Of the River San Bernard Town Hall Meeting, Saturday, February 23rd at 6 p.m. at Dido's Restaurant, 2922 C.R. 519 on the San Bernard River.
In addition to a preview of the committees' 2008 goals, F.O.R. will present the 3rd Annual Ralph Primeau Memorial Award presented to the person who has gone ‘above and beyond’ in the past year for the betterment for the San Bernard River and its communities. In addition, F.O.R. has created a video chronicling a bit of the river’s history from the point of view of those who have lived and seen the changing times of our river to share with all our friends. Those wishing to eat and socialize prior to the meeting should be at Dido’s no later than 5 p.m. to enjoy a specially priced Shrimp and Chicken Fettuccini dinner which includes bread, salad, tea, dessert, tax and tip for $10.00 a person.
What a difference a couple of years makes! Two years have passed since the first town hall meeting when the public agreed to form a San Bernard River community organization for the betterment of our river – Friends Of the River (F.O.R.) San Bernard.
In that time, F.O.R. has created a website, named the organization, adopted a mission statement and by-laws, filed articles of incorporation, became an IRS recognized 501(c) 3 corporation and elected their first and second Board of Directors. They created a recognizable logo, flag and theme song. Friends Of the River cleaned up 52,000 pounds of garbage from the river in the springs of 2006 and 2007; and had six boat parades. On National Night Out, F.O.R. visited with their neighbors at the local restaurants on their second annual Dock Hop for National Night Out - it was standing room only at all 3 restaurants. We also acquired and renovated our new “home on the river” – the Community Center on C.R. 510- B. We’ve adopted 2 miles of F.M. 2918 and have committed to cleaning it up 4 times a year.
F.O.R. also held the second annual “ Can You Dig It?” to dramatize the river’s mouth being closed and hosted numerous dignitary boat trips to the end of the river to raise awareness of same and solicit support for their number one goal -- open the river mouth. The F.O.R. Breakfasts on the Bernard have also become quite popular, held the first Saturday of each month, at Dido’s, with over 100 people consistently attending.
Friends Of the River also held our second annual fund raiser, raising over $20,000 for our fledgling organization. Wow!... We’ve come a long way together in two short years!
Please mark your calendar and plan to attend the 3rd annual F.O.R. Town Hall Meeting, Saturday, February 23 at Dido’s – dinner at 5:00 p.m., program beginning at 6:00 p.m.
For more information, contact Chaney Moore at 979-236-7479 or Nancy Kanter at 979-487-5189 or www.sanbernardriver.com. We are beginning our 3rd year of community service for the Friends Of the River San Bernard. Come be a part of an organization dedicated to making our community a better place to live and play.