WILMINGTON — Clinton County Master Gardeners are preparing a fun-filled week of events for the City of Wilmington. June 20-26 is Pollinator Week, and local businesses have teamed up with master gardeners to provide gifts, activities and celebrations.
“Eight years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as National Pollinator Week marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations,” according to pollinator.org. So, in Wilmington, Master Gardeners would like to educate the public about why pollinators are important and how to increase the number of pollinators in this region.
At the beginning of the week, on June 20, residents can stop by any one of the businesses listed below and pick up a sheet specially designed to hold stickers. Residents will then collect stickers from all of the listed businesses; the first 50 people to complete the sticker collection will receive one pollinator garden explorer kit each.
Businesses will have special displays or activities such as visiting a sweat bee habitat, creating a make-and-take monarch butterfly, making a bee condo, or picking up pollinator information cards.
These businesses that have contributed to the prizes and are involved in the Pollinator Scavenger Hunt: Clinton County Farmers Market, Wilmington Public Library (make-and-take monarch butterfly), Jeannie’s Polo Fabric, Shoppes at the Old Mill (butterfly-themed display), The Rusty Star (bee-themed display and a “Bee-u-ti-ful Bee Gift Basket drawing), Ace Hardware, Clinton County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Rome Jewelers, For a Song and a Story (sweat bee habitat and photo opportunity), Clinton County Soil and Water, Clinton County Extension Office and Lowe’s (make a bee condo, Saturday, June 25, 10 a.m. to noon).
Stickers and information cards will include a variety of pollinators — from mason bees to ruby-throated hummingbirds.
The culminating activities will be held at Cowan Lake. On Friday, June 24, the community is invited to the covered shelter in the campground for a Pollinatorpalooza at 7 p.m. The following events will be held at Cowan Lake Naturalist Cabin on Saturday, June 25:
• 3 p.m. – Bees Galore: Visit a beekeeper and discover the joys of keeping bees of your own.
• 4 p.m. – Bee House Workshop: Make a bee house of your own to take home.
• 5 p.m. – Pollination Garden Dedication: Please come and help us dedicate the brand new pollination Garden at Cowan Lake. The ribbon-cutting will celebrate this wonderful new area set aside just for our flying helpers!
Get your walking shoes ready and be one of the first 50 people to collect all stickers. The quality explorer kit will provide months of fun. We hope to see you at the celebration on June 25.
