News
2017 Virginia Agritourism Conference Set for April
Three days filled with fresh ideas on a variety of hot topics are on tap at the 2017 Virginia Agritourism Conference, set for April 18-20, 2017, in Richmond. Topics include building your agritourism business, marketing, event planning and social media, as well as financing, labor and legal “stuff.” Dr. Basil Gooden, Secretary of Agriculture and Dr. Vincent Magnini, Virginia Tech, will be there to present the Economic Impact of Agritourism in Virginia. Tours of local farms, breweries, and farm-to-table eateries are also part of the conference.
Learn more about the conference and register on-line by visiting
Bike the Valley Goes to Canada
Five hundred Bike the Valley brochures were mailed to Canada as part of Virginia Tourism Corporation’s (VTC) international marketing program. VTC maintains a tourism office in Toronto and Quebec where they promote Virginia to the Canadian market. The Shenandoah Valley is a popular cycling destination for Canadian tourists who seek the milder climates and scenic landscape. The Bike the Valley rack cards are designed to direct visitors to the Bike the Valley website,www.bikethevalley.org, where they can find over 50 bicycle route maps, bicycle events and bicycling resources throughout the Central Shenandoah Valley.
Community Emergency Response Training Begins in March
Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County, in partnership with CSPDC, will be offering Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). Two courses will be offered, with an evening option on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. starting March 22nd and a morning course on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. starting March 23rd. The training will be held at the CSPDC office in Staunton.
This nine-week course uses a standard curriculum designed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and teaches basic skills in disaster preparedness, fire safety, first aid, terrorism awareness, disaster psychology, and search & rescue. The CERT course is designed to give the average person tools to prepare themselves and their family during severe weather or other emergencies when emergency personnel are overwhelmed and may not be able to respond immediately.
The course is open to anyone who lives or works in Staunton, Waynesboro, or Augusta County. The course is free and all materials are provided. Participants must pre-register no later than March 17, 2017, by contacting CERT Coordinator Rebecca Joyce, at 540-885-5174 or by email at rebecca@cspdc.org.
Grants Available for Dam and Floodplain Projects
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has announced that $1.2 million dollars in grant funds are available through the Virginia Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund. The Fund is managed by the Virginia Resources Authority on behalf of DCR. Eligible projects through the Fund include dam safety projects for local governments and private entities that own existing regulated dams and flood prevention and protection projects for local communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. The grants provided through the Fund are reimbursements and require a 50% match. Grant applications are due by 4:00 p.m. on March 31, 2017.
Braiding the Way Releases Community Survey
Braiding the Way for Outdoor Recreation in the Rockbridge Area is conducting an online survey as part of the process for developing a Master Outdoor Recreation Plan for the region. The survey is open to both residents and visitors and asks participants to share information on their involvement in outdoor recreation activities, spending and demographic information. The data from the survey results will be used to conduct an economic impact analysis report.
To take the survey, please click here:
The survey will remain open until July 31, 2017.