Here is a quick rundown on what we did in previous anniversary years.
10th Anniversary (1999):
- REAL produced a special 10th anniversary supplement to the newsletter.
15th Anniversary (2004)
- Planted an oak tree on Evergreen Avenue.
- REAL provided a letter and photos to go in the time capsule buried at the site of the (then) new high school in September.
20th Anniversary (2009)
- Special banner on newsletter “Celebrating 20 Years of Environmental Achievement”
- Same banner on website
- Wine and cheese media event in spring at Rideau Canal Museum
- Birthday cake and musical presentation at park during Chocolate and RR Festival
- First local foods dinner Oct. at Lombardy Hall, catered by Kieth Drummond
- Coincidentally that year REAL made the list of top ten finalists for Earth Day Canada’ Hometown Heroes award
- .25 cent fall yard sale at REAL Deal store
- Stone placed on Evergreen Avenue with inscription “REAL 20 Years 2009”
25th Anniversary (2014)
- Special newsletter banner “25 Years of Environmental Action”
- Used same catchphrase on website banner
- First set of 10 $250 REAL Action Grants
- Promotional video by Arranel Studios
- free screening of “Watermark” documentary
30th Anniversary (2019)
- A monarch butterfly garden was planted in front of the REAL Deal in honour of our 30th anniversary. It was a great success so a second phase was added in 2020. The forms for Phase 3 were built in 2023, and should be planted in 2024. This garden will focus on native and medical plants. Read more.
- Tree Planting at Local Schools. REAL’s 2019 plans included planting 30 substantial-sized trees. After various false starts we did just that in June 2023. Five trees were planted at each of six local schools: Duncan J. Schoular, Chimo, Lombardy, Montague, SFDCI and St. Francis. Read newsletter story.
35th Anniversary (2024)
- A team is busily planning a mini-forest for Corbett Park. Various layers of materials will be laid down in the spring to prepare a base, and plants will be added in a fall planting. Read more.
