Executive Director’s Message
Greetings!

Ah, Summer. In the Blackstone River Valley, just the word evokes a season of back yard barbeques, outdoor recreation and the opportunity to partake of our rich cultural and heritage programs. I invite you to come out and see the Valley. We have a summer line-up full of cultural festivals, open doors at our farms and historic buildings and beautiful parks, rivers and bikeways waiting to be explored. The listing at the right is just a sample of those offerings and you can find out more (and post your own!) by visiting EventBlackstone.com.

For many of our partners, this is a very busy and demanding time of year. Won’t you consider volunteering a few hours a week to help them out? It’s a great way to meet visitors and to make new friends. We have a terrific support system with our Volunteers in Park program so give our VIP Coordinator Suzanne Buchanan a call at 401-762-0440 and find out how you can help.

The rising cost of gasoline makes it all the more fortunate that we don’t have to travel far to discover and enjoy the great variety of natural beauty, history, cultural diversity and recreational opportunities the Blackstone River Valley has to offer. We are 24 communities connected by 46 miles of river – and a whole lot more! As we travel around the valley to offer programs and attend events, staff and I look forward to seeing you and to sharing the special summer experiences awaiting us.

Enjoy the summer!

Jan Reitsma
Executive Director

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Annual Meeting Highlights
The Commission’s annual dinner and awards ceremony was held Friday, May 16 at River Bend Farm in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. It was generously hosted by the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park and the Commonwealth’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). DCR’s Director of State Parks, Priscilla Geigis, issued a warm welcome to the Commissioners, awardees and friends under the tent adjacent to the River Bend Farm Visitors Center. A downpour did little to dampen the spirit of the event, as attendees followed the advice of Commission Chair Ted Sanderson to see it as a vivid illustration of a “watershed in action.” The event featured the premiere of a brand new “Along the Blackstone” video, focusing on the recent visit by several national experts and their findings about the national significance of the historic resources found in the Valley.

The presentation was followed by an inspired speech by Congressman James McGovern, who urged everyone in the audience to continue to work hard for the Blackstone River Valley as he does in Congress. The Blackstone Stage Coach driven by Bobby Largess and the “girls” had a steady stream of customers as did Wayne Whittier and his team from Whittier Farms. The CorridorKeepers’ silent auction offered beautiful and unique Blackstone Valley items as well as a bicycle and a kayak for those looking to participate in the recreational opportunities presented by the good weather. Everyone then enjoyed a barbeque of terrific food on the banks of the Blackstone Canal as they enjoyed the songs and music of the talented Irish Posers.

For more on the award winners, click here.

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Unique Boardwalk Extends Bikeway
A ribbon cutting in the rain on April 28, 2008, marked the opening of another mile of Blackstone River Bikeway in Lincoln and Cumberland. In attendance were numerous bikeway advocates and dignitaries, including the new director of Rhode Island’s Department of Transportation, Michael P. Lewis, Department of Environmental Management Director W. Michael Sullivan, Ph.D., and Corridor Commission Executive Director Jan Reitsma representing the Commission. According to RI DOT, the most striking feature of this segment is the 14-foot wide, 540-foot long elevated boardwalk that takes cyclists and other users through the Lonsdale Marsh. The boardwalk allows the bikeway to traverse the marsh in an environmentally responsible manner and it also allows people to peer into the marsh to see the aquatic environment as they might never have before. “The Blackstone Bikeway is one of the jewels of the Blackstone River Valley and has made a significant part of Rhode Island’s natural heritage more accessible to the public,” said DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan, Ph.D.

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New Volunteer Bikeway Patrol Rolls Out!
The debut of the new volunteer Blackstone River Bikeway Patrol was held at the kick-off of the Wellness Walk-a-Thon on May 3, 2008. Volunteers in Park (VIP) Coordinator and program manager, Ranger Suzanne Buchanan, welcomed the energy and enthusiasm of VIP Karen Ciavarini, who serves as the Chairperson of the Bikeway Patrol.

Patrol members will offer geographic, historic and cultural information about the bikeway area from Valley Falls to Woonsocket. They will be available to lend assistance to repair flat tires, give directions and ultimately to make the Bikeway experience safer and more enjoyable for everyone.

“We are always interested in recruiting volunteers for our Volunteer Bikeway Patrol,” Ciavarini explained. “Maybe you are already a VIP and want to stretch your “wings” -- or legs or maybe you know a young person who is looking to do community service hours. This is a great way to get involved in your community, to make great friends and to learn about the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.”

Those interested in joining the volunteer bikeway patrol or in volunteering to help host one of the patrol’s scheduled events should contact VIP Karen Ciavarini, Chairperson of the Blackstone Bikeway Patrol at BVBP@verizon.net.

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