$1,000 Green Grant Awarded to the Danville Science Center

Logo for Danville Science Center with blue writing and drawn orange atom symbolThe Danville Science Center in Danville is awarded a $1,000 Green Grant in the Litter Prevention category as part of Keep Virginia Beautiful’s 15th Annual Green Grants program.    

Every year, government, non-profit, civic, and service organizations in Virginia are invited to apply for grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 that will help address an environmental concern in their community.  Grants must focus on one of the following priorities:   Litter Prevention, Recycling & Waste Reduction, Cigarette Litter Prevention & Recycling, or Community Beautification.  

Since 1995, the Danville Science Center has been a beacon of inspiration and discovery to hundreds of thousands of children and adults across the region. They welcome over 50,000 visitors each year with the goal of enriching their lives through science. Visitors have the chance to explore STEM concepts and skills with immersive exhibits, hands-on activities, live demos, breathtaking presentations in The Dome, and interactive outreach programming. 

With the grant award from Keep Virginia Beautiful’s Green Grant program, the Science Center will host a river cleanup and educational program, open to all community members. The funds will be used to purchase high-quality equipment, such as litter grabbers and work gloves for volunteers to safely collect litter.  Water chemistry test strips and nitrate and nitrite nitrogen water test strips will also be purchased and used to perform water quality tests, ensuring that all participants can contribute to the cleanup and environmental monitoring efforts.   

The Danville Science Center believes in educating the public about the direct and indirect impacts of their actions on our waterways, especially as it pertains to the harmful effects of litter.  Science Center’s educators will use an EnviroScape Watershed model that allows participants to have a hands-on experience to see how runoff carries pollution through our waterways. Participants will also conduct a variety of water quality tests to help monitor the health of the Dan River.