NEWS FROM FOUR RIVERS
April 21, 2020
MHAA Emergency Operating Grants Now Available!
The MHAA COVID-19 Emergency Operating Grant Opportunity for Heritage Area Nonprofits is now open!

Nonprofit heritage tourism organizations located within the boundaries of Four Rivers Heritage Area (or the boundaries of any of Maryland’s Certified Heritage Areas) that have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis are eligible to apply for Emergency Grants of up to $20,000. 

Operating costs associated with the COVID-19 State of Emergency, beginning March 5, 2020 and extending until 90 days after the end of the State of Emergency. Operating costs include any expenses that allow an organization to continue operations and to safeguard heritage resources during and after the pandemic, including, but not limited to, staff salaries, utilities, insurance, contractor services, rent and mortgage payments.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with all applications received by the first of each month considered as a group. All applications must be submitted online here: https://bit.ly/MHAACOVIDGrant . The first deadline is May 1. Download the Grant Guidelines here:  COVID19Emergency Grant Guidelines FINAL
Check Out Our Recent Blog Posts!
During this time of curtailed activities due to COVID-19, we have been collecting online resources that readers can use while they practice social distancing in the home. If you haven’t been to our website recently, here are some posts you might have missed.

We will continue to gather resources to keep you informed and to keep all of us connected!
 
It's National Volunteer Week - Hear Stories of our Partners' Fantastic Volunteers
Through the Four Rivers Heritage: Story Project , we tell the powerful stories of the volunteers who work at our heritage sites and discover how and why they do what they do, knowing that our history is critical to understanding our future.

Watch the stories of these volunteers:

In our newest video, learn about the volunteer team of interpreters at Historic Annapolis's Hogshead, an attraction that features a "hands-on" experience of daily life in historic Annapolis.

Jim Cheevers - the former curator of the US Naval Academy Museum, for 50 years. He oversaw countless exhibits and installations involving US Naval history including the famous “Don't Give Up The Ship” flag.

Gertrude Makell - Director of Galesville Community Center, and one of the first students to voluntarily integrate Southern High School when she was a teenager in South County Maryland.

Dottie Byerly - a volunteer at the Hammond-Harwood House, a historic site in downtown Annapolis where her mom happened to be raised as a baby.

Bob Stevenson - a volunteer at the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse, a National Historic Landmark and icon that is actually located in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay.
Highlighting Our Four Rivers Heritage Sites, Continued
While our local sites are closed t o the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, we will take this time to highlight our some our attractions , and continue to do so each week until we're all able to explore our heritage area again.
Galesville Heritage Society and Museum

The Galesville Heritage Museum tells the history of Galesville, the Native Americans who hunted and fished the West River, the Quakers who settled here, the watermen who gathered the bounty of rivers and bay, and the craftsmen, storekeepers, and business people who built a vibrant village life centered in churches, schools, and town hall.
Historic London Town and Gardens

Historic London Town and Gardens is a twenty-three acre park featuring history, archaeology, and horticulture on the South River. Discover the once “lost town” for yourself through William Brown House (c.1760), a National Historic Landmark, and reconstructed colonial buildings. Bring your family to also enjoy scenic river views, 10 acres of woodland and ornamental gardens and a Sound and Sensory Garden for kids.
CBF Webinar: Clean Water Grows on Trees
Date: Thursday, April 23
Time: 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Trees cleanse the air and provide shade in the summer. But did you know that trees are a crucial part of cleaning up local rivers and streams?

Join Harry Campbell, CBF Pennsylvania Science Policy and Advocacy Director, and Brenda Sieglitz, Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Manager, to discuss the connection between clean water and trees, and how you can support both cleaner water and healthy trees from home. Register for Clean Water Grows on Trees .

If you have questions, please contact Alice Christman at achristman@cbf.org .
MSAC Upcoming Virtual Professional Development:
Relief Resources, Self-Care, and More!
MSAC will be holding special teleconferences for a variety of professional development offerings in the coming weeks, based upon your feedback. April offerings include Emergency Relief Resources and a Self-Care 4-week series. Additional offerings will be available in May. For more information, please visit the MSAC website

Emergency Relief Resources
Wednesday, April 22nd, 1:30-3:00 p.m.

Presenters will provide information regarding financial, as well as non-monetary, emergency relief resources. Guests include: Community Wealth Builders (including Kiva, Wefunder, and Honeycomb), MD Philanthropy Network; MD Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts; CERF+; Musicians Foundation; Arts Administrators of Color; New York Foundation for the Arts, and more.
Recorded Webinar: Thinking Outside the Box to Reach Audiences Inside Their Homes
As museums and cultural organizations continue to adapt to the challenges brought on by the coronavirus, many have revamped and expanded their digital presence and offerings. In the process, many have realized that traditional strategies, messaging, and social media channels aren’t enough, and have started to get more creative with how they reach audiences in their homes.

Join Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Sloan MacRae (Marketing Director @ Carnegie Museum of Natural History), & Caitlin Kearney (Digital Content & Engagement Manager @ The Field Museum) as they discuss what sorts of digital strategies, workflows, and channels are allowing them to effectively target and attract audiences beyond the walls of their museums.

Here, you can also view and add to the Coronavirus Preparedness Community Document . This is a living document for organizations to share their best practices.

11 Great Podcasts for Historic Preservation Fans
Podcasts are often used to fill in the gaps of a day, reserved for commutes or doing chores. But with many people homebound, now is the perfect time to give a podcast the full attention it deserves.

The question is: Which one to listen to? Fortunately, there are plenty of fantastic podcasts from the preservation world and beyond. These include shows produced by National Trust Historic Sites—such as James Madison's Montpelier, President Lincoln’s Cottage, and the Lower East Side Tenement Museum—that deepen one’s understanding of the buildings and their complex stories. Whether it’s architecture, history, or urban planning that draws you to the field of historic preservation, you’re almost certain to enjoy at least one of the 11 podcasts collected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation .

Looking for more podcasts? Read our blog post on History Podcasts to Keep You Informed and Entertained.
Arundel Rivers Report Card is Going Virtual
Join the Arundel Rivers Federation on Thursday, April 30th at 7pm online for the unveiling of their annual State of the Rivers presentation by Jesse Iliff, South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper via Facebook Live. He will be presenting what we have learned from the data Arundel Rivers has collected from 52 river stations during 2019.

To participate on Thursday, April 30th at 7pm, go to Arundel Rivers Federation's Facebook page and click on the Facebook Live event. Use the comment section to ask any questions you have about the data.
Earth Day Highlight - Historic London Town Provides Family Fun Activities for the Budding Naturalist
One of our featured sites above, Historic London Town shares some ways you can celebrate with some fun and easy activities for Earth Day. Great for your "budding naturalist" or "naturalist at heart" at any age.  

Play a Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt!
 
Let's start by building those observational skills together on a walk outside. Add to your game with a magnifying glass or pair of binoculars. How many can you find?  Download the scavenger hunt here , or go here for a plain text version

Make Your Own Seed Paper
 
Can you get your plants to grow from the seed paper? Creating a garden - even just a simple one in a pot outside - is a great way to welcome "pollinators" to your home. Pollinators include bees, butterflies, birds, bats, and other creatures that might visit your new garden. They're attracted by the plants' tasty food. In return, they will spread the plants' pollen, enabling more plants to grow. It's a great partnership!  Download the directions here , or go here for a plain text version

Create a Bird Seed Cookie

For this last activity, let's create a simple bird feeder using bird seed (or use ingredients from your pantry, like sunflower seeds, rice, peanuts, or dried fruit), flour, water, and corn syrup. This is a great way to encourage birds to come to your home. You can then record what birds you see in this printable "My Birdwatching Notebook " (prints 2 notebooks). If you need help identifying what birds you see, here's a great list from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources . Download the bird seed cookie directions here , or go here for a plain text version .
Earth Optimism Digital Summit 2020
On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day 2020, join the Smithsonian online for a FREE Earth Optimism digital event showcasing stories of both small and large-scale actions, framing the conversation and demonstrating that success is possible.

Share your stories of success with #EarthOptimism and help inspire millions of people around the world for greater impact!

The show begins on Wednesday, April 22 at 6:00pm.
Anne Arundel Celebrates Earth Day!
Earth Day is April 22!


Even while social distancing, there are many ways to make your celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day informative and fun! Read on and join the celebration!
Four Rivers Heritage Area | 410-222-1805 | heritage_area@aacounty.org | fourriversheritage.org