Food Lion Hosts Dinner to Celebrate Leaders
Food Lion will host a dinner Monday, August 13, in its new green Customer Support Center to celebrate leaders who are improving the health and quality of life in the region. It is part of the Third International Hydrail Conference.
Bill Ross, North Carolina's Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, will be the featured speaker. Other special guests will be Susan Kluttz, mayor of Salisbury, and Linda Rimer of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Other sponsors of the event, in addition to the Center for the Environment, are the Salisbury Post and the City of Salisbury.
For more details, click here.
Amanda Hooker Joins Center
Amanda Hooker, a 2007 graduate of Catawba College's Environmental Science Program, has joined the Center for the Environment as the project development assistant.
Her areas of responsibility include further development of the Friends of the Center and work with the various educational and outreach programs the Center offers.
Amanda worked with the Center throughout her college years, conducting research and working with Catawba administrators on energy-saving projects through the Campus Greening Initiative.
For more, click here.
Center Receives Matching Grant
The Center for the Environment has received a matching funds grant of $25,000 from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation to promote sustainable communities. That means every dollar the Center receives in the next few weeks will be matched up to $25,000, so the impact of every gift is doubled.
As a non-profit organization, the Center must raise nearly all the funds needed for general operations, so its ability to make a difference in the region is tied directly to the gifts it receives. The Center offers unique sponsorship opportunities that allow businesses to demonstrate their interest in environmental stewardship. These include sponsorships for the Ugly Bug Ball on October 6 and our upcoming lecture series.
Please contact Amanda Hooker at 704-637-4295 to learn more.
 Ecological Preserve Now Part of N.C. Birding Trail
Catawba College's 189-acre ecological preserve has been approved as a part of the N.C. Birding Trail, a guide that links bird-watching sites across the state. More than 150 species of birds have been sighted on the preserve.
The trail is being developed to attract nature-based tourists, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. A national survey conducted in 2001 revealed that 18 million U.S. residents traveled to view birds and spent about $32 billion in retail sales.
For more, click here.
Center Launches EcoXplorers Program
 Want to canoe down the Yadkin River and explore a deep cave called the Devil's Den? Want to visit behind the scenes at the N.C. Zoo and learn about the science of caring for plants and animals that live in the exhibits?
Young people, their parents and grandparents can learn more about EcoXplorers at an orientation meeting at the Center for the Environment facility on Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m. The club is designed to develop a conservation ethic in youth and their families through environmental education and adventure.
For more information, contact Amanda Hooker at 704-637-4295.
Plan Now to Attend the Ugly Bug Ball
 Mark your calendar now. The Second Annual Ugly Bug Ball is scheduled for Oct. 6 at the Center for the Environment facility. Proceeds from the event support the work of the Center to educate and promote environmental stewardship in the region.
Asian Garden cocktails will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by a sumptuous dinner; "On Stage" with Kent Bernhardt; and dancing from 9 p.m. until midnight.
Sponsorships are available. They range from $250 per couple as Contributing Sponsors to $5,000 or more for Gold Sponsors. All sponsors will receive special recognition as well as preferred seating.
The event will offer a special opportunity for singles this year: a reserved seat at the Ugly Bug Table with other single ticket holders.
To learn more about sponsorships, call Amanda Hooker at 704-637-4295. To make your reservation, click here.
Fashionable Support for the Center
 Individuals can make a fashion statement and an environmental statement at the same time, thanks to Pam Coffield, Catawba graduate and owner of the Stitchin' Post Gifts in downtown Salisbury.
She is offering an eco-friendly bag for sale and giving 1/3 of the $14.99 purchase price to the Center for the Environment to educate the region about environmental stewardship. The handbag, which is 15 X 8 X 4 inches, is made of natural burlap with leather handles and comes in a variety of colors.
 "I've been in business so long, and I'm very interested in giving back to the community," Coffield says. "I thought this would be good way to raise money for the Center and make the public more aware of this valuable educational resource."
For more, click here.
Conference on Faith & Environment Scheduled
A conference on Faith & the Environment is scheduled for May of 2008. A steering committee is currently at work planning the program and securing speakers.
Catawba Offers New Environmental Majors
Two new environmental majors will be offered at Catawba College this fall: 1) sustainable business and community development and 2) environmental education.
"With our rapidly changing world, we are witnessing a change in the business community," says Dr. John Wear, Center director. "Companies are taking a greater interest in integrating environmental thinking into the way they operate. This new major will prepare our students to work in this new business environment."
Students who earn a degree in environmental education and fulfill specific requirements will have the opportunity to be certified to teach in state and county nature centers as well as national centers operated by services like U.S. Fish and Wildlife.
"We have offered a certification program through the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Division of Environmental Education for many years," says Wear. "We felt that the strength of this program warranted degree status."
For more information, contact the Admissions Office at 704-637-4402.
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The Catawba College
Experts from around the world will convene at the Center for the Environment August 13-14 to discuss the development of hydrogen-powered railways and transit.