SEEDS Asks For Your Support

SEEDS is beginning our 2^nd decade!

SEEDS celebrated its 10^th anniversary in 2018. We wish to thank all of you who have helped achieve this milestone. Whether you attended one of our free sustainability workshops, had a free home energy assessment or solar assessment, and/or donated time and funds to our mission, SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education & Development Support) would not be here without our growing number of supporters.

SEEDS has done so much in our first decade to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable living, and is proud of the larger role we now play in our region’s operations: serving on Wayne Tomorrow; and participating in a PA statewide initiative Finding PA’s Solar Future. (For more details on our first 10 years, visit SeedsGroup.net).

Every November, we ask that you consider making a tax-deductible donation to keep us going. We know you receive many requests, so we are very grateful that many of our supporters make SEEDS a priority. This is the only fundraising letter we mail each year, and this is how we raise over 60% of our general operating budget. This is a great way YOU can help make our region more sustainable.

This year, seven donors have offered to match all donations received by December 31^st up to $7,250!  This is our largest donor match yet, and we need your help to reach this goal!

Some 2018 Highlights:

• Sustainable Business Practices Open House with The Chamber of the Northern Poconos
• Launched com as part of the Wayne Tomorrow initiative
• Presented Recycling: Past, Present, Future, with Wayne County Recycling Center featuring Wayne Highlands’ Rocket composter
• Presented the 3^rd annual Scholarship to Mason Marie Clark in memory of Jake Burkhardt
• Installed a Solar System at Lacawac Sanctuary, as part of our annual DIY Solar Workshop
• Offered 2 Free Energy Efficiency forums, with co-sponsor PPL (one residential, one commercial)
• Presented Unlock Your Yard’s Potential with Northeastern PA Audubon Society
• Installed solar chargers on National Park Kiosks to improve emergency communications for Rangers and visitors.

Coming up:

• Saturday November 17^th – SEEDS is one of the proud co-hosts of the Annual FREE Book Swap, with NaturEd, made possible by this year’s lead event sponsor, the Wayne County Bar Association. The event will be held at the Park Street Complex auditorium in Honesdale. Visit our website net for more info and book drop-off details. Last year’s Swap broke records: over 16,000 books collected, nearly 700 visitors, and not one book ended up in a landfill. The rules: bring as many as you want; take as many as you want.

     Good Books, Great Times at the Annual FREE Book Swap

• Saturday April 27^, 2019 – SEEDS is a proud co-sponsor of the 2019 NEPA Green Fair and 5k Race for Clean Air with The Greenhouse Project (Scranton). This event will be held at Nay Aug Park. This is the only sustainability fair of its kind in our region! So, plan to come by for a full day of sustainability workshops, FREE prizes, great gift vendors, presentations, Yoga classes, healthy and delicious food, music, and so much more!

SEEDS will continue our work promoting sustainability for years to come, and we invite you to help make that possible. Please make a donation before December 31 and your gift could be doubled!

You can mail a check payable to SEEDS (use donation form and envelope provided) or visit www.SeedsGroup.net  and click on DONATE TODAY. A contribution can be made via MasterCard, Visa, Amex, Discover or PayPal. You may even select a monthly sustaining amount!

Once again, we simply could not do this without you! Thank you for supporting a sustainable future, and being a part of the growing SEEDS group!

And from all of us at SEEDS, we wish you and your family a safe and joyous holiday season!

Sincerely,

Katharine Dodge

SEEDS Chair

Board Members: Jack Barnett, Jane Bollinger, Denise Bussiere, Colleen Campion, Sue Currier, Nancy DeYoung, Katharine Dodge, David Ford, Ella Hoerning, Jenna Wayne Mauder, Emily Rinaldi

Advisors: Savannah Brunette, Blair Buselli, Mary Anne Carletta, Andrew Drewchin, Chuck Heyn, Nick Hindley, Julie Hudson, Ryanne Jennings, Zachary Jennings, Dr. Carl Milks, Richard Pedranti, Jamie and Larry Reeger Michele Sands, Gordon Smith

MORE SEEDS ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

You may be familiar with some of our accomplishments:

• SEEDS sponsored small-scale wind and solar training for contractors in 2009. As a result 2 local solar installation companies were formed in Wayne County.
• SEEDS offers FREE residential energy assessments, saving homeowners in northeastern PA tens of thousands of dollars, and providing unique training and summer jobs for local high school students. To date, we have assessed nearly 300 homes, 12 non-profit facilities and trained over two dozen high school students in basic building science. (This program was made possible by dozens of SEEDS volunteers who contribute significant time to make this happen! and to the Department of Environmental Protection).
• SEEDS installed the first solar system on a Habitat home in Pennsylvania in collaboration with Wayne County’s Habitat for Humanity organization and Buselli Solutions. We have since installed another solar thermal system on a Habitat for Humanity home in Pike County.
• So far, SEEDS has helped 12 nonprofit facilities make energy efficiency upgrades.
• SEEDS received a 2016 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.

But you may not know:

• SEEDS is one of the proud co-hosts of the Annual FREE Book Swap, made possible again by this year’s lead event sponsor, the Wayne County Bar Association. The event, the 7th annual, will be held on Saturday November 17^th at the Park Street Complex auditorium in Honesdale.
• SEEDS is a proud co-sponsor of The Chamber of the Northern Poconos annual dinner, where we present the Green Business Award each year. SEEDS salutes this year’s winner: Ledges Hotel!
• SEEDS is a member of Wayne Tomorrow, and with other partners, helped develop NEPArecycles.com.
• SEEDS is a stakeholder in Finding PA’s Solar Future, helping Pennsylvania reach its renewable energy goals.
• SEEDS is partnering with Allison Petryk, creator of the first NEPA Green Fair and The Green House Project in Scranton to present the 2019 NEPA Green Fair and 5K Race for Clean Air on Saturday April 27th in Nay Aug Park in Scranton. Make sure you are on the SEEDS Newsletter list to reach monthly updates on participating vendors, entertainers, food, and educational workshops.

SEEDS is actively engaged in community partnerships including the Pike Wayne Conservation Partnership, comprised of the many environmental organizations that serve both Counties, and the Quarterly Quality Council, created by Wayne County Human Services to bring public and private sectors together to create a healthier community for Wayne County’s most vulnerable residents. SEEDS also serves on Wayne Tomorrow, an initiative with the Wayne County Commissioners, and business/community leaders to improve the quality of life and economic opportunities.  Through our involvement with these organizations, SEEDS has been able to better align our efforts with the needs of the community. And that’s just what we will continue to do with your support.