Could Bluffton be a regenerative community? Learn more about the possibilities at the Summit presented by Transition US starting on September 24. More information here.
Regenerative Communities Summit
Blanchard River Watershed Partnership Presents Film
Sweeping footage of the Little Riley Creek and Tiderishi Creek are featured in the video, along with interviews with individuals who represent the BRWP and the WCOLC. Learn how farmers and landowners can benefit from conservation practices while improving the water quality and landscapes of Northwest Ohio.
“Conservation and Agriculture: Where Land Meets Water” will premiere on Friday, February 26, 2021 at 11:30 AM on Zoom. The video will be released for public viewing after the premiere. In order to be one of the first people to view this video and take part in our live Q & A Session during the premiere, be sure to join us on February 26th by visiting the link below:
JOIN ZOOM MEETING: https://findlay.zoom.us/j/92699456393?pwd=Tkl4Rm9PeVBsSDFoci91ejFSOVMrdz09
Meeting ID: 926 9945 6393
Passcode: 140784 For more information, be sure to follow both the BRWP and the WCOLC on Facebook, or visit us at http://www.blanchardriver.org/ and https://www.wcolc.org/
Native & Invasive Plants
Join us for our next public event to take place on September 23 at 7:30 pm via Zoom. We are delighted that Anne Smedley and Austin Roby, Johnny Appleseed Park District land stewards, will give us a presentation on native and invasive plant species in Bluffton. Anne and Austin both work at the Motter Park in Bluffton. They will share information on native plant species that enhance wildlife habitat, including information on seeding and planting. They will also discuss some of the most problematic invasive species found in our area, including techniques for removing these species. The meeting will be held using the “Zoom” virtual meeting format, each participant from home, using their own device. For a Zoom invitation to access the meeting call 419-358-0950.
Statement on Covid-19 from International College of Integrative Medicine
Here are some good suggestions from the ICIM for reducing risk from Covid-19.
These are their suggestions for basic supplements to support your immune system to minimize symptoms if you should catch the virus:
The following inexpensive supplemental levels are recommended for adults; for children reduce these in proportion to body weight:
1. Vitamin C: 3,000 milligrams (or more) daily, in divided doses.
2. Vitamin D3: 2,000 International Units daily. (Start with 5,000 IU/day for two weeks, then reduce to 2,000)
3. Magnesium: 400 mg daily (in citrate, malate, chelate, or chloride form)
4. Zinc: 20 mg daily
5. Selenium: 100 mcg (micrograms) daily
Please note that since this was written the CDC has updated their mask-wearing recommendations. They now recommend that everyone wear a mask in any public setting, especially when social distancing can’t be maintained.
Zoom Get Together August 18
At our July event those who gathered had a great conversation about initiatives for Bluffton Transition. We reviewed what we are currently doing and plan to continue doing (community garden, public events, repair clinic) and things others are doing which promote a resilient and sustainable community. Then we brainstormed other projects folks were interested in pursuing. We chose two projects to get started on right away. The first is a sharing library of books to be expanded to other things like tools, skills and time (you received an email from Chris Morrissey about this). The second is cleaning out invasive species and promoting native plants.
On Tuesday, August 18 at 7:30 pm we will hold a similar event (on Zoom) in which we discuss our current projects and decide what else people are interested in undertaking. All our welcome to attend. If interested in joining the conversation call Jon or Sally at 419-358-0950.
Transition Bluffton Library!
Transition Bluffton is trying something new for us – a virtual library! We hope to spread knowledge for the benefit of the community on topics related to resilience, the environment, and community building. See the link under “resources” at the top of this page. Here’s how it will work:
- We each go through our shelves and find any books or other items that we think might be relevant and of interest to others that you would be willing to loan out.
- To add a book to our database, or if you see a book you would like to borrow, send us an email at transitionbluffton@gmail.com and our librarian, Chris M., will give you contact information so you can contact the owner to arrange to borrow it, or will add it to our list.
- Original owners remain owners of the items. Borrowers are responsible to care for borrowed items as if they were their own and return them to the owner at an agreed upon time. Owners and borrowers should exchange contact information and are responsible to keep track of where they are. Transition Bluffton’s only role is to keep a list of items and bring lenders and borrowers together.
We are starting with books and related items, such as DVDs and videos. If this is successful we may in the future expand into tool sharing, seed sharing, or who knows what.
Please only offer items related to “Transition type” topics, such as resilience, self-sufficiency, community building. General interest titles or things that could be found at the public library should not be included.
If you would like to write a review or description of a book, please do so and we would put it on our website or FB page.
Zoom Get-Together July 21
Now more than ever we understand the importance of achieving the goal of making Bluffton a sustainable and resilient community. Transition Bluffton folks will get together on Zoom on July 21 at 7:30 pm to determine what projects can help us move toward this goal. The meeting will begin with a review of our currently active projects and of the ideas raised among those who watched the film “The Secret of Change,” a documentary that highlights activities of Transition groups in the UK, Canada, and the US. at our June meeting. We will then ask for ideas of other projects. Our goal for the evening will be to determine which project or projects we want to devote energy to in the near future and organize ourselves to do so. Zoom provides us with the option of dividing up into smaller groups, which we will do if the number of people warrants that.
Here is the link to the video: https://www.thesecretofchange.com/ we watched in June. I encourage all of you to take a look at it. It’s divided into episodes and is the kind of documentary that you can watch as much or as little as you want and still get something out of it.
To receive an invitation to attend the July 21 Zoom event, send your email address to <sommerjs@bluffton.edu> or call Jon or Sally at 419 358-0950. All interested Bluffton area residents are invited to participate so feel free to invite friends and relatives.
“The Seeds of Change”
Virtual Movie Showing and Discussion with Transition Bluffton
The public is invited to join with Transition Bluffton in a Zoom showing of the documentary “The Secret of Change”. The film visits a number of Transition groups in the UK, Canada, and the US, highlighting some of their activities, successes and challenges. Following the movie there will be an opportunity for discussion and sharing of ideas for possible activities here in Bluffton.
We will be watching together using the “Zoom” virtual meeting format, each participant from home, using their own device. The time is Tuesday, June 16 at 7:30 PM. To receive an invitation to attend this Zoom event, send your email address to <sommerjs@bluffton.edu> or call Jon or Sally at 419 358-0950. All interested Bluffton area residents are invited to participate.
Coronavirus Resources
Transition Bluffton has cancelled the events we had planned for March, April, and probably May. We encourage people to follow the guidelines to stay home except for essential trips, practice physical distancing, avoid groups of any size, wash your hands, and wear a face mask anytime you are out in public. We hope that you all will stay safe and healthy and that we will soon be able to return to a new and even better “normal”.
Here are some resources that we have found useful:
Governor DeWine’s daily press conference is held at 2:00 pm and is broadcast live on most public television and radio stations including WBGU TV in Bowling Green and WGLE, 90.7 Lima. The state of Ohio has a website that is updated daily with the latest information: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/blufftonneedhelpgivehelp/ This Facebook group has posts from local people offering assistance or in need of assistance in dealing with the current situation.
https://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisMartensondotcom/videos Dr. Chris Martenson on Peak Prosperity has daily videos with the latest news and analysis from around the world of what is happening and what to expect from the coronavirus.
Allen County Public Health Department
Putnam County Health Department
There is lots more information out there. Please add any additional resources that you have found particularly useful to the comments.