Shiver in Virginia

Map of Virginia

The Race Is Still On

, , , ,

Map of VirginiaThanks to all those who’ve made an incredible push this weekend to help us towards our Shiver in Virginia Mission challenge goal of 2,021 miles of cleaning up litter and other environmental deeds throughout the month of March!  We can see the finish line!

If you haven’t joined Shiver in Virginia you can get busy this week!  If you already registered, but haven’t clicked through to the Mission Challenge map page, go to this link to complete the process!  One bag of litter picked up wherever you live or work, hike or kayak, is equal to one mile along our path when you record your accomplishment.  Lots of people have contributed environmental good deeds, such as recycling, composting, and clearing invasive species out of the landscape – and they count for miles too!

And we saved some of the best prizes for last!  Every time you make a post, share the site on social media, refer a friend, or report your miles, you’ll have a better chance at winning!

We’ve had a nice tour around the Commonwealth, and if you’re registered, you’ve been sent digital postcards from the beautiful places a two-thousand-mile path would have taken us.  We “visited” First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach, the Eastern Shore, and Virginia’s River Realm.  We’ve “passed by” Caledon State Park in King George, and we’re on our way to the Shenandoah Valley.  What a truly beautiful state we live in!

We designed Shiver in Virginia as a way to work together while we have to be apart, and it’s been a great success.  When faced with the absence of our annual Shiver in the River fundraiser because of COVID, we created this event to further our mission to improve our natural and scenic environment, and gently solicit financial support!

Speaking of which, you can still make your donation of $20.21 here and receive a free one-day parking pass at any Virginia State Park!

Free Entry Virginia State Park

How Often Do You Get a Free Pass?

, , , , , , ,

Free Entry Virginia State ParkThere is so much to love about Virginia, and our 39 State Parks is at the top of the list!  If you’d like a free one-day parking pass to visit any of them, you can support us through Shiver in Virginia (going on all through the month of March) to get one!

Although Virginia has beautiful scenery and places all year round, the COVID restrictions have made the winter less pleasant this year.  We are all looking forward to Spring more than ever.  And with the weather already warming up in many areas, you might be happy to know that camping season is open at Virginia State Parks!

There are twenty-nine state parks that offer camping in Virginia.  Just some of the amenities include 306 cabins, 50 yurts and 1,677 campsites!  Some of the larger parks provide sites with electric and water hook-ups, to accommodate recreational vehicles and campers.  Most park campgrounds are pet-friendly, so there’s no need to leave your furry family behind.  You can even sign up for their Customer Loyalty Program to earn points for free overnight stays.

If you’re not willing or able to stay overnight, there are plenty of options for day visits.  Fishing, playgrounds, and swimming are just a few options.  Not to mention trails — there are over 670 miles of trails!  And you don’t have to get lost in the woods (unless you want to) because they offer trail maps that include facility guides and trail guides that you can print before you go.  You can also be assured that DCR (the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation) is keeping up with the times.  They offer geo-referenced PDFs for all of their parks, using an app that’s available for Apple and Android devices.  Who knew?

Check out the Virginia State Park Guide to find the perfect destination for you.  You can bet it will be beautiful.

And don’t forget your free one-day parking pass through Shiver in Virginia!

Clean Up with Mask

Are You Shivering Yet?

, , , ,

Clean Up with MaskWith much of the state affected by rain, we had a wet kick off for our Shiver in Virginia Challenge on Saturday!  Thanks to all who have registered for the challenge, and especially those who were able to get outside to pick up litter, or do other beautiful acts!  While we certainly missed gathering with everyone for our annual Shiver in the River festival, as we have in the past, the good news is that this year the challenge continues throughout the month of March.  You’ve still got plenty of time to register for Shiver in Virginia – join in any time, and do as much or as little as you want.

Our Shiver in Virginia Challenge is a fun way to get outside to safely pick up litter wherever you live, work, or play — even if you’re shivering just a little!  Our Mission Challenge interactive map page has a path of 2,021 miles around the Commonwealth, and for each bag of litter picked up and reported on the Challenge page, we’ll advance one mile along the path.  Everyone who registers will receive a FREE one-day parking pass to any Virginia State Park.

You can do more than just pick up litter too.  Check out the other ways that you can help us log miles on the map by doing beautiful things:

Join the challenge to help us accomplish our mission.  And send pictures!

Shiver in Virginia Challenge Logo

Are You Ready To Shiver?

, , , , ,

Shiver Challenge MapUsually this last week of February we’re on the final stretch to our biggest fundraising event of the year, Shiver in the River.  Here’s a cool drone video from Creative Dog Media that you can check out from the past, and remember what we have to look forward to in 2022!

We always host a huge community cleanup at Historic Tredegar with about 500 volunteers on the morning of Shiver in the River.  It’s amazing, and we usually end up with over a ton of litter and recycling that’s been removed from the landscape of Richmond!

This year will be different, with COVID restrictions, but there’s a silver lining!  Now you can make a difference in YOUR community, wherever you live, work, or play in Virginia!

We’re hosting Shiver in Virginia, where together we will strive to clean up a 2,021 mile path around the state of Virginia.  You can record the number of bags of litter you clean up (one bag equals one mile on the path) on your phone or on a desktop website to track our collective progress. You can also do beautiful things like graffiti removal, recycling, plant native plants — one beautiful act equals one mile on our path too! You’ll be able to post pictures, share on social media, and see who’s on the leaderboard.

NEWS FLASH!!  Everyone who registers will receive a FREE one-day parking pass for any Virginia State Park!  And you’ll be entered to win cool prizes along the way too, like a guided kayak adventure for two, a ropes course experience for two, or admission to gardens and other beautiful places across Virginia!  Take a look at the sponsors and prizes listed at the bottom of our Shiver in Virginia webpage.

Shiver in Virginia will kick off on February 27th, the original date for Shiver in the River, and it will run through March 31, 2021.  You can register at any time, and do as much or as little as you like throughout the month of March!  You can even get geared up with an individual Cleanup Kit that includes a trash grabber, safety vest, washable gloves, and trash and recycling bags, so that you can stay safe while you clean up.

And if this is not the kind of event that you’re interested in participating in this year, you can still support us with a donation of $20.21, or any amount!  You’ll still get the free one-day parking pass for any Virginia State Park to keep or to share.

If you’re ready to jump in (figuratively speaking this year), you can register for Shiver in Virginia now!

Proclamation and Tree

Emancipation Oak

, , , ,

Proclamation and TreeTrees are amazing. Their size and strength, and oftentimes their history, is truly remarkable. One tree in particular that stands out in Virginia, especially during Black History Month, is the Emancipation Oak.

Just a sapling during the Civil War, the tree was a shady spot in what is now the City of Hampton, where Mary Smith Peake taught children of freedmen who were being sheltered near Fort Monroe. She also taught adults in the evenings, and the American Missionary Association eventually provided her with Brown Cottage for classes.  That cottage became the first school building on what is now the grounds of Hampton University.

It was a big day in 1863 when the black community gathered under the oak to hear the first Southern reading of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in ten states. This is how the tree became known as the Emancipation Oak.

More than 150 years later, the tree still stands, sprawling and proud. It’s a beautiful place to visit. You can read the historical marker, touch the bark, and listen for the voices that gathered around, making history. It is 98′ in diameter, with sprawling lateral branches. It certainly deserves its designation as one of the Ten Great Trees of the World by National Geographic.

Now that’s an incredible piece of history for a tree! I bet you have some beautiful trees wherever you live, work, or play in Virginia. If you’d like to learn more about them, check out Virginia Tech’s guide The Woods in Your Backyard” for identification and care of the trees you may have at your house, your church property, or at your school.  Or if you’re happier inside on a cold day with a good book, “Remarkable Trees of Virginia” by Nancy Ross Hugo is a book that’s full of wit and wisdom about private and public trees in our Commonwealth.

Better still; why not find a spot to plant a tree? Our upcoming Shiver in Virginia will give you a good reason to clear some vines, clean up the litter, or add a native tree to the landscape. See how you can help Keep Virginia Beautiful by joining the Challenge!

Person picking up litter

Are You Ready to Shiver?

, , , , ,

Person picking up litterUsually at this time of year we’re promoting our annual fundraiser, Shiver in the River, with its giant community cleanup, a 5K run, and a chilly dip in the James River – but not this year, of course.  COVID prevents us from gathering 500 people in the heart of Richmond to pick up over 2,000 pounds of litter.

But cleaning up litter is at the core of what we do, and we are going to continue to focus on our mission to improve the natural and scenic environment of Virginia in a new way!

We’ll kick off Shiver in Virginia on February 27, 2021 (the original date of Shiver in the River), and challenge everyone in Virginia to join our mission!  You can do beautiful things wherever you live, work, or play, and report them to us on our shared Challenge map, all through the month of March.  Together, our goal is to clean a path the equivalent of 2,021 miles around the perimeter of the state of Virginia!

All you need to do is join the challenge with a donation of $20.21, and you’ll be rewarded with a FREE one-day parking pass for any Virginia State Park!  You’ll also be entered to win great prizes!Shiver in Virginia Challenge Logo

Then pick up a bag of litter, record it on the Challenge site:  one bag equals one mile on the path.  Other beautiful acts, such as graffiti cleanup, taking recyclables to the proper place, or picking up cigarette butts can be recorded too.  Together we’ll clean our way bag by bag, mile by mile, along the Challenge path.  We’ll highlight beautiful, scenic places as we reach our milestones.  And you can post pictures, make comments, and share your successes along the way too.

You can register to join our Shiver in Virginia Challenge beginning on February 1st, and continue to enter your results at any time from February 27 to March 31, 2021.  Make sure you’re on our monthly eNews list to get more details.

Then get ready to Shiver in Virginia!