Pee Dee schools and community groups can help protect local waterways with the stroke of a paintbrush.
The Florence Darlington Stormwater Consortium, an initiative of Clemson Extension, is seeking applicants for its 2015 Rain Barrel Art Review. Schools and communities can decorate rain barrels that will later be installed at schools, libraries, churches or community centers in Florence and Darlington counties.
Harvested rainwater can be used for any outdoor use, such as watering plants and vegetable gardens, or even washing the family dog, said Terasa Lott, a water resources agent with Clemson University Extension in Florence.
“Rain barrels reduce runoff and by reducing runoff, we are reducing the potential for pollutants to be carried off to our local waterways,” Lott said.
Finished barrels will be displayed April 18 at the Earth Day event at Kalmia Gardens at Coker College. Visitors will vote for their favorite barrels and prizes will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place finishers in the two divisions: school and community group. The contest is open to schools and community groups in Florence and Darlington counties.
Interested participants should submit the Rain Barrel Art Review Application by March 13 to Lott at [email protected] or by mail to Clemson Extension, 2685 S. Irby St., Suite K, Florence, S.C. 29505. Download the application here.
Applicants will be notified of acceptance on March 16. Barrels must be picked up from the Florence or Darlington County Extension offices between March 17 and 20.
Finished barrels must be dropped off at Kalmia Gardens on April 18 from 9 to 9:30 a.m.
Each selected school or community group will receive a pre-assembled black plastic rain barrel, two cans of white primer for a basecoat and two cans of clear sealant as a topcoat. Participants are responsible for providing all other paint and supplies.