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VBREA’s 2018 Annual Meeting was held on November 14, one week earlier than our regularly scheduled 3rd week due to Thanksgiving being early this year.

At this meeting, VBREA Vice President/Executive Director and of the nominating committee Phillip White announced that all existing board members agreed to continue in their positions. A motion to re-elect all board members into their existing positions was made, seconded, and passed by the membership.

 
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PROJECT LIFESAVER
Mr. Corey Sullivan with the Virginia Beach Project Lifesaver Program spoke and answered questions. VB Project Lifesaver is comprised of a civilian board working with Virginia Beach Police and other emergency responders.  Individuals prone to life threatening behavior of wandering away from families in Virginia Beach have been saved and returned home thanks to this program.  A wandering citizen without a Project Lifesaver device can average an 8 hour search and rescue with costs exceeding $325,000.  A wandering citizen wearing a Project Lifesaver device takes an average of 32 minutes to be located in Virginia Beach. Currently, Virginia Beach has just over 300 clients in this program.  The VBREA presented Project Lifesaver with money to purchase two additional devices for clients.
 
In the above photo, Mr. Sullivan is accepting the VBREA donation from Nancy Moore, Director of the VBREA Involvement Committee.  To learn more about this project click here to visit:  Virginia Beach Project Lifesaver on Facebook.

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VIRGINIA BEACH AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT'S Jenny McPherson, Rural Community Coordinator, was our guest speaker. CVB Department of Agriculture employs 15 full time and 2 part time employees. There are also 2 State employees with the Soil and Water Conservation District. Ms. McPherson shared with the membership many of the programs offered at the VB Farmers Market, which is run by the Agriculture Department. She was excited to share that they will be operating an ice rink from December 6, 2018, through January 6, 2019. There is a PreK-5th Grade program that is held in the World Heritage Center run by the Master Gardeners at the Market for $7 per child. They have had approximately 3500 children participate in this program. They also have a Santa’s Workshop every year in December. There is also a Taste of the Market Tour that groups can schedule for $20 per person. At the Market is also the Cooperative Extension 4H Program. There are 12-13 clubs with ages ranging from 5-19 years old. They raise livestock – goats, lamb, hogs, steer. There is also a craft club. The dates for the 4H Camp are on their website.

Agriculture is the 3rd largest industry in the City of Virginia Beach. The annual local economic impact of agribusiness in Virginia Beach is more than $130 million. The Agriculture Reserve program preserves acres. Currently they are just under 10,000 acres with a goal of preserving 20,000 acres. This program has been successfully saved from budget cuts several times over the past years. The main crops in Virginia Beach are corn, wheat, and soy beans.
Other programs through the Agriculture Department include Master Gardeners classes and Family Consumer Sciences on nutrition and finances (BankOn with the Credit Union and Camp Millionaire for 6th to 8th graders).
More information can be found on their website: www.vbgov.com/agriculture

Volunteers are always welcome. If you are interested in volunteering, contact VB Volunteer Resources. 

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School Donations

Each year VBREA members have donated much needed school supplies, such as shown to the right, that will be given to a designated school, located within the Virginia Beach school system.  You again stepped forward to give from the heart in 2018. Thank you very much to each of you who supported this effort!  Let's exceed our 2018 amount during 2019!!
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Traveling??  Save those hotel give-away toiletries!

Through-out the year, members are encouraged to bring to events and meetings toiletry items, such as shown in the below picture, which we donate to shelters supportive of our citizens.
If you have items, bring them to our meetings and turn them into the meeting leader.  Your acts of kindness mean the world to grateful recipients!                                                                               
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