Rainwater Revival Calls for Grant Applications from Hill Country Schools

For the fifth consecutive year, the Hill Country Alliance’s Rainwater Revival offers funds to help students learn about rainwater catchment and water conservation.

As Texas Hill Country residents and businesses look for ways to conserve water, the Hill Country Alliance’s Rainwater Revival grants lend a helping hand to schools throughout the 17-county region. The HCA is now taking applications through May 1 from schools that want to implement or enhance rainwater collection and water conservation programs on their campuses.

“From funds received at our art [rain] barrel auction at Rainwater Revival 2014, we are happy to offer three $1,000 grants for 2015,” said Christy Muse, executive director for HCA.  “So far, our grant program has helped 13 schools set up or continue their water conservation programs. Most recently, we learned from the Hill Country Montessori School that their grant made it possible for them to cut their well water use by 30,000 gallons a year, so the school now uses only 16 percent of their annual well water permit. What a fabulous response.”

Ms. Muse noted the school planted native, drought-resistant plants, uses a drip irrigation system, and has adopted a number of indoor water-saving measures as well.

The deadline for applications for grants to be used during the 2015-2016 school year is May 4, 2015, with the selection of recipients expected by May 18, allowing teachers to start their projects at the beginning of the fall school year.

“We’ve developed an easy process for teachers to request a grant,” said Karen Ford, Rainwater Revival Chairperson. “We understand the demands on a teacher’s time and how meaningful a grant can be to an educator these days.”

To apply, provide a one-page description of the project, including number of students reached, expected outcomes, length or duration of project, and general management and participation in the project; the project budget, including grant amount requested and, if anticipated, matching funds or in-kind services (matches not required); letter(s) of support from school principal and any others, as appropriate, and primary contact name, phone and email.

The grants are open to public and private elementary, middle and high schools throughout 17 counties of the Hill Country region. Email applications to info@RainwaterRevival.com or mail to HCA-Rainwater Revival, Attention Grant Program, 15315 Hwy 71 West, Bee Cave, TX  78738. Complete information and a list of eligible counties are available at www.rainwaterrevival.com.

        

About the Rainwater Revival

The Rainwater Revival is an annual celebration of collection, conservation and common sense designed to help individuals and businesses learn how to capture rainwater for in-home and outdoor irrigation. The free event is sponsored by the Hill Country Alliance and will be held Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015 at Dripping Springs Ranch Park.

About Hill Country Alliance

HCA is a collaboration of diverse people and organizations whose purpose is to raise public awareness and build community support around the need to protect the natural resources and heritage of the Texas Hill Country.

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Media contacts:

Laureen Chernow, 512.461.5093; laureen.chernow@gmail.com

Karen Ford, 512.922.8234; kford@waterpr.com

Photo:

Board Member Karen Ford presents a $1,000 grant from the Hill Country Alliance’s Rainwater Revival to students and teachers at Hernandez Elementary School in 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Three Hill Country Schools Win Rainwater Revival Grants to Fund Water Conservation Projects

(June 3, 2014) Austin,  TX – Impressed by the quality of proposals for its rainwater harvesting and conservation grant program, the Hill Country Alliance is awarding three – instead of the planned two – $1,000 Rainwater Revival grants to Hill Country schools to help teachers and students design and implement water-saving techniques.

The 5^th annual Revival, planned for October 25 in Dripping Springs, is a day-long edu-fest that brings together experts to help families and businesses learn how to harvest rainwater for in-home and outdoor use. This year’s grants brings to 13 the number of schools that have benefited from the auction of professionally designed and painted rain barrels – rain barrel art – at each fall event since 2010.

“Our judges were overwhelmed by the quality of applications we received and very appreciative of all the schools that want to teach conservation through hands-on projects,” said Karen Ford, the Hill Country Alliance board member who leads the Rainwater Revival event. “The design, construction and maintenance of water conservation projects bring together math, science, economics and an early appreciation for conserving our precious natural resources. We are so grateful to know these teachers, parents, garden clubs and others are dedicated to teaching our young people how to harvest and use rainwater and why it’s important to know and care about water.”
Grants were awarded to:

Hernandez Elementary School (San Marcos CISD): Some 70 fifth-graders will incorporate rainwater collection while managing a storm water issue that occurs when downspouts direct rainwater over sidewalks in front of the school. “Not many people think of the benefit of storm water management,” Peggy Leatherman of Rain Harvest Resources, one of the application judges, said. “All the judges were pleased at the innovation this idea shows, as well as the school’s interest in working with its garden and art clubs and City of San Marcos conservation experts.”

East Central High School (East Central ISD, Bexar County): The aquatic science programs will use the grant funds to capture rainwater to irrigate native grasses and plants being grown for a riparian restoration project. Environmental science students will study and track pH in the captured rainwater over time, of particular interest since the campus is near a coal-fired power plant scheduled to be decommissioned within the next four years. “Judges felt this was an excellent opportunity for real-world experience for our next generation of scientists,” said Ms. Ford.

Hunt ISD: Fourth-and-fifth-grade science students will use grant funds to build a working tabletop model of a rain catchment system that will serve as a teaching tool in all Hunt science classes. The physical model and its written educational materials are a joint project between the Hunt School and Hunt Garden Club volunteers and are expected to be used for a number of years. Students will maintain the model and update it as needed. “The school’s ongoing dedication to providing hands-on learning and its Discovery Garden, begun as a cooperative project with the garden club 14 years ago, is to be commended,” said Ms. Leatherman. 

About the Rainwater Revival

The Rainwater Revival is an annual celebration of collection, conservation and common sense designed to help individuals and businesses learn how to capture rainwater for in-home and outdoor irrigation. The free event is sponsored by the Hill Country Alliance and will be held Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Dripping Springs Ranch Park.

The Hill Country Alliance is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to raise public awareness and build community support around the need to preserve the natural resources and heritage of the Central Texas Hill Country. Visit us at www.hillcountryalliance.org.   

Photos:

 Hunt School students pose in front of their water catchment tank with some of the bounty from their Discovery Garden. The school received a $1,000 grant from the Hill Country Alliance’s Rainwater Revival to build a working model of a rainwater harvesting system.

Board member Karen Ford (far right) presents a $1,000 grant from the Hill Country Alliance’s Rainwater Revival to students and teachers at Hernandez Elementary School in the San Marcos CISD. The grant will help students design and build a system to capture storm water runoff.

 

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Media contacts:

Kathi Thomas, 512.479.9H2O; info@rainwaterrevival.com

Laureen Chernow, 512.461.5093; laureen.chernow@gmail.com

4th Annual Rainwater Revival Shows Ease of Harvesting Rainwater for Indoor and Outdoor Use

Capture Free Water from the Sky

Austin, TX -- On November 2 in Boerne, Texas, the Hill Country Alliance will once again host its annual Rainwater Revival – a lively, free event for novices and wannabe harvesters of rainwater. A full day of speakers, exhibitors, food and fun is planned to help homeowners and businesses reduce their impact on the environment, save money on their water bills and learn the joys and deliciousness of captured rainwater.

Homeowners who live entirely on rainwater, along with experienced professional catchment system installers and do-it-yourselfers, will share information throughout the day.

Event-goers can admire and purchase rain barrels that have been turned into functional works of art by Hill Country artists. The barrels, on display now at locations throughout Kendall and Kerr counties, will be offered for sale during a live auction at 1 p.m.; proceeds go to a grant program that funds catchment and conservation programs at Hill Country schools. Children will learn about conservation at the event’s Raindrop Stop, which offers hands-on, fun-filled activities for the younger folk. Food trailers and live music round out the event, set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Our continuing drought situation makes it even more important for people who live anywhere in Texas to learn how they can use water provided directly, free of charge from nature,” said Karen Ford, event chair. “Wells go dry, surface water evaporates, but just one inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof can provide 600 gallons of soft, mineral-free water.”

Presentations are designed to help any rainwater user or potential user take the next step in developing their systems. Learn from homeowners who will discuss what to expect when living on rainwater, get tips for financing a system, see first-hand a complete rainwater system, and learn how and why to build a rain garden at your home, school or business. These are just a few of the topics to help attendees learn more about the many advantages of rainwater catchment.To see the schedule, click HERE.

“Setting up a rainwater catchment system is much less complicated than people tend to think,” Ms. Ford continued. “The Rainwater Revival was originated as a ‘celebration of collection, conservation and common sense,’ and thanks to wonderful sponsors there is no admission charge.”

HCA’s Rainwater Revival has won the Envision Central Texas Community Stewardship Award for Public Awareness and the Texas Water Development Board’s Rain Catcher Award. Recipients of the 2012 school grant program will be recognized at the event, as will other Rain Catcher winners – the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, Willow City Fire & Rescue, and presenter Billy Kniffen.

More information about the Rainwater Revival, a full schedule of speakers, photos of the art barrels, and information on rainwater harvesting is available at www.rainwaterrevival.com.

           

About the Rainwater Revival

The Rainwater Revival is an annual celebration of collection, conservation and common sense designed to help individuals and businesses learn how to capture rainwater for in-home and outdoor irrigation. The free event is sponsored by the Hill Country Alliance and will be held Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013 at the Boerne Convention Center.

The Hill Country Alliance is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to raise public awareness and build community support around the need to preserve the natural resources and heritage of the Central Texas Hill Country.

Media contacts:

Kathi Thomas, 512.479.9H2O, info@rainwaterrevival.com

Laureen Chernow, 512.461.5093, laureen.chernow@gmail.com

Time to convert to Rainwater Harvesting for your Landscape?

With all the “water wars” going on between counties that have water and counties that don’t, perhaps we should consider being responsible for our own water. With rainwater harvesting (RWH), you know how much water you have, you control how it is treated and how it is used. No one can tell you that it isn’t your day to water when you have your own rainwater harvesting system. Your neighbor can’t drain your water dry because he wastes it- YOU ARE IN CONTROL!

Even if your home is already built, you can add on a tank (or two) to collect the rainwater for your current landscaping. Did you know that 70-80% of water use in the summer is typically for landscaping? With water rates going ever higher, it is time to rethink that model!

We can plant irrigation free landscape, so that the landscaping lives on what falls from the sky with only rare supplemental watering, but as you’re transitioning to that, consider adding a RWH tank to your back yard to capture rain and even dew and use it on your lawn. Once you switch over to irrigation free landscaping, after the first year of "watering it in", use that free water for something more fun, like a pool!

To learn more, plan on attending the Rainwater Revival on Saturday, November 2, 10am-4pm, at the Boerne Civic Center in Boerne TX. There are great speakers on all subjects rainwater connected.

Rainwater Revival Sets Grant Application Deadline for Hill Country Schools

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 16, 2013

 

For the third consecutive year, Rainwater Revival offers funds to help students learn about rainwater catchment and water conservation.

Hill Country schools in 17 counties are now eligible to apply for grants funded by professionally painted “art rain barrels” that were auctioned at the highly successful 2012 Rainwater Revival, held in Boerne in October. The functional works of art are designed and painted by Hill Country artists and donated to the Revival to help Hill Country schools design and implement rainwater catchment systems and other water conservation projects.

“This year, we’re pleased to announce that we will award three $900 grants to schools, thanks to the generosity of our artists and the businesses that donated paint and barrels as well as the spirited bidders during the event,” said Christy Muse, Executive Director of the Hill Country Alliance which sponsors the annual, free event. “The eye-catching barrels raised $2,700 and are now at home in the lucky bidders’ yards or patios.” See the barrels and the inspiration behind their designs at www.rainwaterrevival.com.

The deadline for applications for grants to be used during the 2013-2014 school year is April 1, 2013, with the selection of recipients expected by May 1, allowing teachers to start their projects at the beginning of the upcoming school year.

“We’ve developed an easy process for teachers to request a grant,” Rainwater Revival Executive Director Karen Ford, a Hill Country public relations professional, said. “We understand the demands on a teacher’s time and how meaningful a grant can be to an educator during these trying financial times.”

To apply, provide a one-page description of the project, including number of students reached, expected outcomes, length or duration of project, and general management and participation in the project;
the project budget, including grant amount requested and, if anticipated, matching funds or in-kind services (matches not required); letter(s) of support from school principal and any others, as appropriate, and primary contact name, phone and email.

The grants are open to public and private elementary, middle and high schools throughout 17 counties of the Hill Country region. Email applications to info@RainwaterRevival.com or mail to HCA-Rainwater Revival, Attention Grant Program, 15315 Hwy 71 West, Bee Cave, TX  78738. Complete information and a list of eligible counties are available at www.rainwaterrevival.com.

           

About the Rainwater Revival

The Rainwater Revival is an annual celebration of collection, conservation and common sense designed to help individuals and businesses learn how to capture rainwater for in-home and outdoor irrigation. The free event is sponsored by the Hill Country Alliance and will be held Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013 at the Boerne Convention Center.

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Media contacts:

Laureen Chernow, 512.461.5093; laureen.chernow@gmail.com

Kathi Thomas, 512.479.9H2O; info@rainwaterrevival.com

Your water supply is in the sky!

If you're at all interested in Rainwater harvesting for your FREE water, then you need to be in Boerne, TX. at the Rainwater Revival Saturday- read below for details.

What: Rainwater Revival, promoting water catchment for everyone to save natural resources and money. Learn how easy and inexpensive it is at this free event.

Kids’ crafts tent, live music at noon, silent auction of professionally decorated art barrels, food trailers, equipment vendors

Where: Boerne Convention & Community Center, 820 Adler Road, Boerne

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, October 27, rain or shine

Why: This is the first time the Rainwater Revival has been held outside of

Dripping Springs, Texas, where it attracted more than 1,000 visitors


Who: Sponsored by the Hill Country Alliance and businesses interested in

helping the environment

http://RainwaterRevival.com



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Media contacts:

Laureen Chernow, 512.461.5093; laureen.chernow@gmail.com

Kathi Thomas, 512-845-0155; info@rainwaterrevival.com

http://rainwaterrevival.com for additional info

Bandera Middle School Receives $900 Rainwater Revival Conservation Grant to Fund Innovative Campus Projects

The Rainwater Revival recently awarded a $900 grant to Bandera Middle School that will help fund water conservation efforts and native plant landscaping at its campus in the Bandera ISD.  

Each year the Rainwater Revival promotes water catchment and conservation projects through grants for Hill Country schools. The funds are raised by auctioning off professionally decorated rain barrels at its annual festival, which brings together water conservation experts and the public in a fun and educational setting.

“Bandera Middle School is right on the mark, setting a great example for schools throughout Central Texas by capturing not only rainwater, but amazing amounts of condensation from the school's air conditioning system to use to water the grounds,” said Christy Muse, Executive Director of the Hill Country Alliance, which sponsors the annual Rainwater Revival and provides matching funds for the grants. “Teachers and students are working together on projects to catch water and to replace turf grass around the school grounds with native grasses and plants through partnerships with other conservation-minded groups.”

The school plans to use the grant to install small collection stations at each of the school’s downspouts, allowing the campus to support more trees and shrubs to improve its green footprint, according to Principal Donald Tosh, Jr. “Students have already designed and built a catchment system and garden, and horticulture classes provide the basis for growing our own native plants, trees and grasses,” he said.

The 2012 Rainwater Revival, a free event filled with music, food, fun and rainwater education from basic to advanced, is set for Saturday, October 27, at the Boerne Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www.rainwaterrevival.com for more information about the event and to see photos of rain barrels transforming into works of art. The Hill Country Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to caring for the unique features of the Texas Hill Country for the benefit of future generations. Visit HCA at www.hillcountryalliance.org.

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Media contacts:

Laureen Chernow, 512.461.5093; laureen.chernow@gmail.com

Kathi Thomas, 512.479.9H2O; info@rainwaterrevival.com