In Clarke County

around the electrical substation and to support the insects and birds that are essential for pollinating the food we eat.

Clarke County resident and Region II REC chairman Chris Shipe was among those who addressed the gathering of students, government officials, and other REC representatives at the pollinator garden celebration in the park on April 25.

Pollinator garden

A new Rappahannock Electric Cooperative pollinator garden in Clarke County’s Chet Hobert Park was officially revealed April 25 with a ceremonial planting and ribbon cutting. Fourthgrade students from nearby D.G. Cooley

Elementary School, REC representatives, and Clarke County government officials gathered to see the garden, which was funded and planted by the memberowned utility. More than 350 native Virginia trees, shrubs, and ground cover plants were installed by REC foresters in February to create a visual screen

Four D.G. Cooley students used ceremonial shovels to “plant” a tree in the pollinator garden in Chet Hobert Park. Watching (from left) are REC director of Vegetation Management Services Cindy Musick, Parks & Recreation Director Lisa Cooke, REC director of Operations and Construction Darrell Porter, REC chairman Chris Shipe, Clarke County Supervisor David Weiss, and REC president and CEO John Hewa.

Environmental Advocate of the Year Named

Christi McMullen accepts the Clarke County Litter Committee’s first-ever “Environmental Advocate of the Year” award from committee chair Ashley Harrison during the May 16 Board of Supervisors meeting. Watching from the dais are Supervisors Matt Bass, Bev McKay, chair David Weiss, vice chair Terri Catlett, and Doug Lawrence. McMullen is a Clarke County resident who in May 2022 voluntarily began collecting glass every week at the county’s convenience center for household trash. She invested in a glass crushing machine, and began filling her garage with bags full of ground glass. By December 2022, she had collected more than 27,595 pounds of glass — keeping it out of the landfill and turning it into 13 1/2 tons of reusable sand. Thanks to McMullen’s glass recy- cling efforts, and the residents who enthusiastically recycle their glass, Clarke County expanded the program this spring, adding a bigger collection bin at the convenience center, and taking much more glass to a bigger recycling facility in Fairfax County. “The mission of the Clarke County Litter Committee is to educate, inspire, and empower the community to improve the environment through beautification and litter prevention,” said Litter Committee chair Ashley Harrison. To McMullen she said, “Your selfless adventure and continued efforts of glass re- cycling have fundamentally impacted the wonderful county we all call home.”

Ribbon cutting for industrial park

The first of two new Patriot Industrial Park buildings east of Berryville officially opened May 15 with a brief ribboncutting ceremony. LGV Group LLC built the 60,000-squarefoot manufacturing facility on 12½ acres along Jack Enders Boulevard next to the Clarke County Business Park. A second 100,000-squarefoot warehouse-industrial space will open next year.

Vito Germinario and Khalil

Rouhana, principals in the LGV Group real estate development company, also own Glass Projects Resource (GPR), a glass and glazing contractor that occupies the new building. The beautiful glass-encased structureat 410 Jack Enders Blvd. highlights GPR workmanship.

Cynthia Rouhana and Kristi Germinario held a construction tape “ribbon” for (from left) Khalil Rouhana, his par- ents Salweh and Gabriel Rouhana, and Vito Germinario, who all welcomed guests to the May 15 event. Because Salweh and Gabriel Rouhana traveled from their home in Lebanon to participate, they were given the honor of cutting the ceremonial ribbon.

Glass Projects Resource (GPR) employees wore Patriot Industrial Park T-shirts to watch as their new workplace was formally opened.

They also fabricated all the glass windows on the building, which reflects the beautiful landscape that surrounds it. GPR outgrew its previous facility at 351 Station Rd. in Berryville — the former American Woodmark facility — so GPR’s 25 employees are thrilled with their new work environment.