Record-Breaking Adopt-a-Drain Numbers

This summer and fall, with the help of a grant from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, East Isles and its Green Team have been working with the The Wedge/Lowry Hill East neighborhood to promote the Adopt-a-Drain program. That program encourages neighbors to "adopt" a storm drain near their home and agree to periodically clean its surface grate. Trash and leaves tend to pile up on the drain grates and, if the trash, leaves, sticks, etc. fall in the drain they can pollute the Mississippi and Lake of the Isles (depending on where the drain drains to). 

When the promotion began this summer East Isles had 16% of its storm drains adopted. As of November, 33.5% of the East Isles storm drains have been adopted. The goal was to reach 25% of drains adopted—so we completely blew by that goal.

The Wedge neighborhood also improved its percentage of drains adopted. The East Isles percentage is one of the highest in the Twin Cities area—and the Twin Cities in general leads the whole country in storm drains adopted. Neighbors who have adopted drains were eligible to enter a drawing for prizes from local businesses. The Green Team had the first drawing on Tuesday night and awarded 17 gift certificates to the lucky winners. Another drawing will be held in the spring after more drains have been adopted both in East Isles and The Wedge.

Many, many thanks to our generous local individuals and businesses who donated almost $900 in gift cards to be used as prizes: Barbette, Frattallone's Ace Hardware, French Meadow Bakery, Holiday Stationstores, Kowalski's, Namaste, Nico's, Pinoli's, Red Cow, Rinata, Uptown Balloon, The Wedge Co-op, and Anonymous.