Sept. 19, 2007– The Virgin Islands Resource Conservation and Development Council Inc. (V.I. RC&D) joins the 375 Research Conservation & Development (RC&D) Councils across the country in celebrating RC&D Week. The celebration was declared in recognition of the anniversary of the designation of the first 10 RC&D areas. In the past 43 years, the program has grown to 375 designated areas that cover over 85 percent of the United States and its territories.
Since its incorporation in 1990, V.I. RC&D has conducted over 200 projects addressing resource conservation, pollution prevention, grant-writing training, sustainable agriculture, leadership development, eco-tourism and education, infusing over $3 million into the V.I. economy. It also serves as a conduit to aid local grass-roots organizations in implementing community development and resource conservation projects.
Sharon Ruggi, president of the National Association of the RC&D Councils, expressed pleasure and pride as the thousands of council members prepare to celebrate the national community service the councils provide to America. Ruggi stated, "Local people determining their community needs and creating solutions for these needs, and the many projects that RC&D Councils carry out, are far too important to go unnoticed in our communities and unrecognized by the media."
In celebration, the V.I. RC&D Council is releasing its new 5-year Area Plan on Sept. 28. Said local president, Marcia Taylor, "After receiving public input on what are our major challenges in the V.I., we have updated our 5-year plan of work, or Area Plan, to help to address these needs and opportunities. We invite community members who want to be a part of helping to make the VI a better place to live to join V.I. RC&D and make things happen!" The councils are made up of volunteers who serve their communities in all 50 states and territories. They identify, address and solve the challenges needed to sustain and improve the quality of life in their own communities. For more information on V.I. RC&D, visit www.usvircd.org; visit www.rcdnet.org for details about the National Association of RC&D Councils.
