Norfolk Environmental Commission celebrates 30 years of keeping Norfolk beautiful with a gala event on Saturday, November 14th from 6 to 10 pm at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Proceeds from the event support an environmental scholarship for local students.

From their website:

Part of the NEC’s mission is to lead residents toward environmental stewardship. As such, this local environmental organization has brought together local government agencies, businesses, residents and environmental stewards to study and implement environmental stewardship throughout Norfolk for the past 30 years.

The work of the NEC over the 30 years is evident throughout Norfolk. Some of the accomplishments include:

* A cleaner city. Norfolk had a score of 1.46 on the 2009 National Litter Index, which means virtually no litter throughout the City as a whole.
* 627,000 volunteers from our community have contributed 931,000 hours of work participating in litter cleanups, wetland restoration, electronics recycling, environmental education and neighborhood beautification projects.
* 8,223 litter cleanups resulting in the collection and proper disposal of over seven million pounds of litter.
* 263,000 tons of residential waste collected for recycling.
* More than 243,000 students taught basic environmental stewardship principles.

More info on the event on the flip…

Tickets for the 30th anniversary gala are on sale now. The tickets are $50 each and can be purchased by calling 441-1347 or stopping at the Ernie Morgan Center (Lafayette Park, in front of the Virginia Zoo) M-F 8:30am-5:00pm. The following are included in the price of the ticket:

* Master of Ceremonies: Craig Moeller, WVEC Meteorologist
* Entertainment by the Jimmy Masters Trio
* One adult beverage
* Food, beer and wine selections from local Norfolk restaurant The Boot
* Silent Auction featuring exciting vacation and outdoor packages and artwork from reuse and recycled art specialists
* A one-year membership to Friends of Norfolks Environment, which provides support for environmental education in Norfolk. Members receive special offers, pricing and access to invitation-only events

Sponsorships are available and donations accepted. For more details, contact Holly Carson. Holly Carson (441-1347).