Dear Friends:

Three of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my life have to do with BIRTH and GROWTH.... -My son, Mark, born in 1965 -My daughter, Kelly, born in 1967 and -The Herring Run Watershed Association (HRWA), born in 1993.

I'm proud to say that all of the above have grown up and are leading happy and productive lives.

This plea, though, is about the third child, HRWA, an outgrowth of a Stream Survey of the Herring Run conducted in 1992 (for all you "Landmarkians," this was my Self Expression and Leadership project).

PAST
IN HRWA FLEDGLING YEARS, a small group of volunteers struggled to get the organization off the ground with a few hundred dollars and a mailing list from the former Friends of Northeast Parks and Streams. We acquired non-profit status; established relationships and conducted environmental projects with community groups, schools and government entities; found and furnished an office; and organized and conducted our yearly celebration, the Spring Migration. It was an amazing and rewarding experience for me and such a labor of love by so many volunteers who put in endless hours to provide the foundation on which HRWA as we know it today was built.

PRESENT
Today, under the excellent leadership of its Executive Director, Mary Sloan Roby and her dedicated staff, HRWA is a leader among local environmental organizations and very soon will be opening the doors to its newly renovated, green, LEED-Silver Certified HERRING RUN WATERSHED CENTER. The building will serve as the HRWA headquarters, and also be equipped with a wet lab and classroom where environmental education (sorely needed in the Northeast area of Baltimore) will be provided to both youth and adults. The Watershed Center will share space with community groups and others wishing to learn about green and sustainable technology and buildings. To date, there is not another comparable center run by a local watershed association in the country! We've definitely come a long way, baby!!!

FUTURE & HOW YOU CAN HELP! (You can make a real difference!)
HRWA is only $50,000 away from reaching its $630,000 goal for construction and furnishings for this important community resource . . . So Iâm up for another challenge! Will you help me help them reach their goal by helping me meet my goal?

On Sunday, August 3, I will participate in. . . MY FIRST EVER SPRINT TRIATHLON - YEAH! That means I will have to swim for half mile, then bike for 15 miles, then run (walk or crawl) for the last 3 miles. (This is a true challenge for me since never in my 59 years have I ever considered myself a runner, bicyclist, or swimmer, OR even a consistent exerciser!)

*****To support me in reaching my $3,000 goal, I request that you donate \A MINIMUM OF $30 (that's $10 for each "leg" of my journey), but $50 or $100 would be even better!!! *****

FOR FRANKIE: Last, but certainly not least, I am taking on this challenge not only to support HRWA but to honor the memory of one of its most tireless founders and vocal advocates, FRANK TROTTA, who died much too young a few years ago.

My Personal Goal For This Endeavor Is $3,000, Earmarked As Follows: $1,000 toward the "green" roof and to honor the memory of Frank Trotta
$1,000 toward final construction expenses of the building
$1,000 toward furnishing the lab with such items as aquariums and microscopes

Please respond as soon as possible and let me know if you will donate and how much you will pledge so I will know how I am doing toward my goal.

Email your pledge to: kramerbrown@verizon.net. After the event, I will email you with the results, and you can send your check made payable to HRWA directly to them or to me. You will also be able pay by credit card.

In the meantime, check out www.sheroxtri.com/Philadelphia_Information.htm for more information about the triathlon.

Thanks for reading this and considering my request. I hope you will respond in the affirmative!

Love, Lynn Kramer kramerbrown@verizon.net