The Aviva Community Fund + Todmorden MiIls

With only 8 days left to vote an idea into the semi-finals, the Aviva Community Fund is getting down-to-wire exciting.

Today I'm voting for the Native Plantings at Todmorden Mills.

Todmorden Mills Wildflower Preserve is not only worth supporting, but visiting too. You don't just have to take my word for that. When Canadian painter, naturalist and conservation activist Robert Bateman was in Toronto this past spring, he took the time to suss out the place himself. He soon came across Paula Davies, hard at work with the good plants (and the ongoing invasives) as usual. The cool thing is, among her many inspiring hats, Paula's not only a Todmorden Mills field stewardship, chair and board veteran, but a conservation activist herself, as well as a guide at the preserve for groups including the Botanical Artists of Canada, and a full time art teacher! Of course she dropped her gloves to give the good man and his family a personal tour. Lucky guy! (Though apparently the Scotch Broom where he's at on Salt Spring Island in BC is a personal misery.) And, yes, Paula enjoyed the spontaneous discussion too :)

Right now though I hope that, like me and you, the busy Mr. Bateman is making the time to directly help fund the good work and ecology at Todmorden Mills and elsewhere by *voting* today and everyday for the next week too!

Remember everyone gets 2 votes a day for the next 8 days. I've put a reminder in my calendar to make sure I keep going back, because, wow, it really does matter! :)

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Interested in volunteer stewardship and other volunteer opportunities at Todmorden Mills? Click here.