This set up was a clean and effective way to stencil our message near the storm drains.

After only a few dates of Storm Drain Stenciling we are by no means experts on this activity. Experienced organizations and their websites were instrumental in assisting in the start up of this Watershed Project Program. In addition, the Girl Scout Troop Leaders were fantastic people to work with and were able to provide a lot of time for organizing the project and collecting necessary materials.

Before I enter into a new endeavor like the Storm Drain Stenciling Program, I have always found it helpful to hear hints and suggestions on the topic from experienced individuals. As a result, I would like to list a few things that helped us organize and run the stenciling project dates. Hopefully this information will prove to be helpful to someone conducting their own program.

• 110 lb. weight card stock worked fine for the doorhangers.

• Check with local print shops about having them cut the doorknob holes with a press. It is pretty time consuming to cut them out by hand.

• If you are working with volunteers from a specific organization, it is a nice touch to add their logo to the doorhanger if you have time. Maybe put any other project partners like City governments on the hanger also. Of course this depends on the amount of room you have.

  Using one of the cut out box sides to protect the volunteers and nearby cars from the spray paint overspray.

• Call the local police station and alert them of what kind of activity this is and where and when it will occur.

• Paint the stencil message on T-shirts to give out to program volunteers.

• Save pieces of cardboard (i.e. old cereal boxes) to have volunteer participants practice on before they stencil on the street.

• We used inverted tip spray paint cans that spray directly out of the top and not at an angle. Our first round of storm drains were marked with 16-653 Precaution Blue. I would suggest using white or another color (we probably will next time) because the blue did not show up well when looking from a distance.

  Source of the Paint we used:

  Seymour of Sycamore Inc 917 Crosby Avenue Sycamore, Illinois 60178-1394 Ph: 1-800-435-4482 Fax: 1-800-343-4258 E-mail: seymour_syc@earthlink.net

  The Nelson Paint Co. (helped us find the paint) One Nelson Drive Kingsford, MI 49802 Ph: 906-774-5566 Fax: 906-774-4264

• Develop maps of the areas to be stenciled. Include where the storm drains are and the street names. If you have several groups working in separate areas, highlight the storm drains and streets they will be stenciling and distributing doorhangers.

  Happy painters after stenciling their first storm drain.

• Have an adult group leader for all groups to guide activities and watch for traffic. Give the leaders a sheet with the directions and a copy of the mapped area they are going to work in.

• Place traffic cones in the street on each side of the storm drain and group to warn traffic of the presence of activity. WEAR ORANGE SAFETY VESTS!

• Have the groups fill out data cards that record types of pollutants and what the land use is around particular storm drains. We participated in the Center for Marine Conservation/EPA program "Million Points of Blight" and submitted our data them. Contribute your efforts to a national program.

• Give your volunteers certificates of appreciation.

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