World Water Day Celebration to Welcome Champlain Centre Mall Visitors
Grand Isle, Vt – The Lake Champlain Basin Program, Champlain Centre, and the Champlain Basin Education Initiative invite the public to participate in a World Water Day Celebration on Saturday, March 16th, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Champlain Centre in Plattsburgh, New York.
Mall guests may view K-12 student work about local water resources. Over 25 exhibitors including river groups and Soil and Water Conservation Districts will offer hands-on activities and exhibits celebrating our regional water resources.
“We’re excited to co-host this local World Water Day Celebration with a whole group of enthusiastic partners,” said Sue Hagar, Education and Outreach Steward for the Lake Champlain Basin Program. “These groups work hard every day to improve water resources for both drinking water and recreational uses including boating, swimming, and fishing. Collectively, we encourage residents and visitors to get involved in personal stewardship actions to improve the watershed.”
World Water Day was initiated by the United Nations in 1993 to draw attention to the issues and threats surrounding the world’s water resources. For more than a decade, the Champlain Basin Education Initiative hosted the first local student World Water Day Celebration to share student work about water resources from more than a dozen classrooms. Champlain Centre continues to help expand the event by providing a large display space, inviting more public participation and partners into the celebration.
“Champlain Centre is excited to continue sharing our retail space for this water themed event,” said Emily Moosmann, Marketing Director for the Champlain Centre. “Come meet the water resource specialists, and explore the thoughtful projects completed by students. Join in some fun activities while learning about our amazing watershed.”
Special showings of Meet the Scientists and Age of Humans, two locally produced short films, will air at Regal Cinemas at noon and 1:30 p.m., respectively. These films are FREE for the public and scientists will be present to introduce the films and answer questions.
Champlain Centre visitors will be able to explore how river flow and streambanks erode during flood events through a hands-on model, learn why the round goby poses a threat to our ecosystem, participate in a youth art project, meet Ronnie the Raindrop, complete quests on a giant Lake Champlain watershed floor map, understand how scientists interpret science through art in the Wool and Water exhibit, learn how to protect drinking water supplies and extend the life of their septic systems through proper maintenance, explore earth friendly lawncare practices, learn about cyanobacteria, practice casting for fish, and more.
For further information about the event, contact Sue Hagar, Lake Champlain Basin Program at shagar@lcbp.org or call (802) 372-3214.
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The Lake Champlain Basin Program coordinates and funds efforts that benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources. The program works in partnership with federal agencies, state and provincial agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, local communities, businesses, and citizen groups. NEIWPCC—a regional commission that helps the states of the Northeast preserve and advance water quality—serves as the primary program administrator of LCBP at the request of the Lake Champlain Steering Committee and administers the program’s personnel, finances, and contracts. NEIWPCC is a program partner of LCBP. For further information, contact the Lake Champlain Basin Program, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT at (802) 372-3213 / (800) 468-5227 or visit https://www.lcbp.org/.
