September 01, 2009
It’s time once again for those interested in sustainability to gather in Benson for conversation, music and connections. The second sustainable networking event is set for Wednesday, Sept. 9, at The Pizza Shoppe Collective, 6056 Maple St., from 5:30 to 8:00pm.
The goal, said event organizer Amy Ryan, is to create a cross-platform that blends the secular interests of corporations, small businesses, nonprofits, artisans and the sustainable community. The first event in the series was held June 17.
The evening begins with a meet and greet from 5:30 to 5:50pm, followed by a panel discussion on sustainable business practices hosted by Brian Smith of Black Sheep Farms, a chemical free family farm in Bennington. The panelists are Shelley Kiel, former Nebraska state senator; attorney David Levy, Baird Holm; Craig Moody, Verdis Consulting; and Mike Shonka, Nebraska Solar & Electric. Cellist Dave Downing will perform from 7:00 to 8:00pm.
The evening is sponsored by The Pizza Shoppe Collective, Verdis Consulting, Solar Heat and Electric, Baird Holm, Element Distributing and the Benson-Ames Alliance.
Troy Arthur, vice chair of the Benson-Ames Alliance Steering Council, said the issue of sustainability is at the forefront of all alliance projects, including two currently under way – The Cole Creek Project in the Ames sector and The Maple Street Corridor Project in the Benson sector. The Benson-Ames Alliance, formed in 2005, is striving to become a sustainable community that actively seeks a balance between its built and natural environments. It is bordered by Western Avenue on the south, Sorensen Parkway on the north, 72nd Street on the west and Saddle Creek Road/Fontenelle Boulevard on the east.
For more information about the Sept. 9 event, contact Ryan at 402.884.8680.