New Sun Rising

On April 11th, at the closing ceremonies for Japanese anime convention Tekkoshocon VIII, New Sun Rising was presented with a check for over $2300 for the Millvale Library project.  This generous donation was a result of the convention's efforts to hold a charity auction as part of their events each year.  

Donated items included autographed wall scrolls, limited edition cards, and DVD's (http://www.tekkoshocon.com/index.php/CharAuction.html). New Sun Rising, and the Millvale Library project, wish to extend our sincere gratitude to the organizers of Tekkoshocon and donors to the charity auction for their generosity and support.  

Young people in T-shirts and jeans trundled wheelbarrows full of topsoil from a pile in front of the future Millvale Community Library down a narrow, muddy path to the rear of the building on Grant Avenue......

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10077/1043507-54.stm

You voted, emailed, shouted, tweeted, and spread the word.  The results are humbling: the project submission from Shaler students Taylor and CJ resulted in a $15,000 grant towards the Children's room in the Millvale Community Library (http://www.pghvoicesofyouth.com/). We feel your support, the community coming together, and this project gathering an undeniable head of steam- New Sun Rising couldn't be more proud of your accomplishments.  Thanks to The Pittsburgh Foundation for crafting and funding a grant which has helped library lovers and Millvale residents to unite.  Stay tuned, things are going to be buzzing down at 213-215 Grant in Millvale this Summer.  

New Sun Rising is excited to continue our support for the grass-roots work of the Millvale Library project, through their vision of a green space behind the building.  Following up on local Eagle Scout John Nugent's design sessions- the garden plan includes community garden beds, a shade garden, and will help to control water runoff from the immediate property.  Grant money will directly support efforts to redevelop a former gravel parking lot and turn it into an urban oasis to benefit the children, families, and community of Millvale.  The New Sun Rising grant will be used toward the shade garden, and has also helped harness over 200 hours of direct volunteer commitments and $400 in plant donations.

Do you know where your food is grown, and who is growing it?  That is the question the Pittsburgh-based organizers of FarmCorps would like to answer for good.  By recruiting and training the next crop of local farmers, the region's sustainability will improve- making food production local and providing a legitimate career choice to many.  New Sun Rising is excited to announce our support of FarmCorps and looks forward to growing their vision together.  Be on the lookout for their promo video, which was competed with the help of an NSR grant in support of World Environment Day (http://newsunrising.org/project/farmcorps_film_project).  Remember to support local food sources when possible.

NSR is pleased to announce this years First Ray Grant recipient:  " Pittsburgh's Industrial History".  Project leader, Ben Peoples, seeks to 'Explore Pittsburgh's Past from the Skies of the Present'.  Through use of Kite Aerial Photography techniques integrated into the development of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle; Peoples will select 6 abandoned industrial sites to visually document.  While working with the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area organization, he has identified a list of 40 local sites to survey and consider.  Ben plans for the project to culminate with mapping from the images produced, holding a photography show, compiling a book, and keeping an active website with images freely available.