- Livin' with the Waters product to be distributed during Black History Month -

( BLACK PR WIRE) ( February 3, 2009) Black History Month is a time to celebrate the many contributions African Americans have made to our nation. It’s also a time to educate, empower and involve the African American community in key issues that are important to the quality of our lives.

To help engage, inform and raise awareness about the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will continue its popular comic strip, Livin’ with the Waters. The latest installment in the series vignettes has been printed on a bookmark. The opposite side of the bookmark contains a quick-reference calendar for 2009.

The Livin' with the Waters comic strip is a fictional portrayal of “The Waters,” a family that has moved to urban south Florida and faces everyday challenges. Along the way, they learn valuable lessons about its ecosystem and the plan to restore America’s Everglades.
“We are pleased to bring the comic strip back for another year,” says Nanciann Regalado, program manager for strategic communication and outreach for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District. “It’s our hope that kids and adults will continue to enjoy reading the comic strips and in the process, they will become interested in learning more about Everglades restoration.”

In recognition of Black History Month, the Livin’ with the Waters calendar bookmarks will be distributed at CERP outreach events and made available in public libraries throughout south Florida, including:
• African American Research Library, 2650 W. Sistrunk Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.,
• Joseph Caleb Library, 2211 NW 54th Street, Miami, Fla.,
• Lauderdale Lakes Branch Library, 3521 NW 43rd Avenue, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.,
• Rivera Beach Library, 600 W. Blue Heron Blvd., Rivera Beach, Fla.,
• Zora Neale Hurston Branch Library, 3008 Avenue D, Ft. Pierce, Fla.



ARMY CORPS’ “LIVIN’ WITH THE WATERS” COMIC STRIP


Livin’ with the Waters tackles a wide array of subjects, from animals of the Everglades to water re-use, to other CERP projects and initiatives. Using a light-hearted, comical approach to a serious subject, the comic strip touches on topics in a way the Corps hopes will peak the interest of “newcomers” to Everglades restoration.

CERP, a plan designed to save the Everglades, calls for a series of ecological and water system improvements over the next 30 years. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District are implementing CERP, often referred to as “the largest environmental restoration project in history.” The goal of CERP is to capture fresh water that now flows unused to the ocean and the gulf and redirect it to areas that need it most. The majority of the water will be devoted to environmental restoration, reviving a dying ecosystem. The remaining water will benefit cities and farmers by enhancing water supplies for the south Florida economy.

For more information on Livin’ with the Waters, or to obtain a copy of the bookmark calendar, call the CERP toll-free hotline at 1-877-CERP-USA or contact Sonshine Communications at 305-948-8063.

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