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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, May 15, 2014 | 6 HEN celebrates 10 years after getting off the ground by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff Spotlight "Connected to your Community" R esidents are invited to re ect on a decade of environmental achievement during the Halton Environmental Network's (HEN) 10th anniversary gala, to be held Wednesday, May 28 at the Oakville Conference Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Rd. The event runs from 7-10 p.m. and celebrates the achievements and members of HEN, an incorporated non-pro t organization that shares information and resources with 45 member environmental groups, non-pro t organizations, businesses, governments and the public. It also provides organizational support to its member groups. Those members include Oakvillegreen, Burlingtongreen, Miltongreen, Conservation Halton, Cycle Oakville and the Royal Botanical Gardens. The Oakville Community Centre for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights and the Ontario Environment Network founded HEN in 2004 after seeing the need for a regional environmental network in Halton. A grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation ensured HEN got off the ground. As of April 1, 2007, HEN is an independent organization run by volunteer representatives of its various member groups. A little luck and lots of hard work "We're lucky, and maybe it's through hard work, that the network has stayed together for 10 years," said Lisa Seiler, Oakville resident and HEN executive director. "Other local environmental networks have mostly fallen apart when their initial funding ended, but there seems to be the need for an environmental network in Halton because of the four municipalities. The network has a way of bringing together people with similar interests from the different municipalities so they are not in competition with each other, but they can learn from each other and support each other." Seiler, whose interest in the environment comes from time spent witnessing green initiatives in Europe, said the network's goal is to achieve environmental sustainability in Halton. Its accomplishments include putting together a weekly email newsletter, which com- Halton Environmental Network (HEN) hosted a Halton Green Screens event at the Oakville Public Library. From left are, Lisa Seiler, executive director of HEN, Karen Brock, president of Oakvillegreen, Daisy Radigan, member of Oakville Mississauga Kairos and Mervyn Russell (co-ordinator of Mississauga Oakville Kairos and ad chair of Halton Green Screens. | photo by Eric Riehl ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) piles news from each of its member groups and the local municipalities. The group also assembles the annual Halton Enviro Guide, a directory of environmentally-friendly businesses and services as well as government contacts and contacts for environmental non-pro t groups operating in Halton. 2014 Halton Enviro Guide The 2014 Halton Enviro Guide contains tips on environmentally-friendly cleaning products, energy conservation, waste disposal, and more. "We've assisted a number of our member groups in establishing themselves," said Seiler. "Currently we are assisting Halton Green Screens in Oakville. It ran monthly eco- lm screenings in Oakville for a number of years There seems to be the need for an environmental network in Halton because of the four municipalities. The network has a way of bringing together people with similar interests from the different municipalities so they are not in competition with each other, but they can learn from each other and support each other. Lisa Seiler ries from January to May and have plans to continue the series in September." Establishing a fundraising base Seiler said HEN is undergoing a strategic planning process because the group's core funding grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation runs out at the end of the year. She said one of the reasons HEN is holding a gala on May 28 is to establish a fundraising base. The cost of attending the networking gala is $40 and features a complimentary glass of wine from Tawse Winery, food, guest speakers and presentations, music by the Oakville Suzuki Flute Orchestra and a silent auction. Anyone interested in attending, visit www. hen10th.eventbrite.ca. For more information about HEN, visit http://haltonenvironment.net. NEIL OLIVER Vice ­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Halton Region Editor in Chief Halton Environmental Network (HEN) executive director and then backed away due to organizational issues. Recently, we helped it reform, so we are currently in the midst of a ve movie se- Volume 52 | Number 58 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. 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