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Mini Monarch Ultra Event

Sat September 21, 2019 Cordova, MD 21625 US Directions

Place

11138 Three Bridge Branch Rd
Cordova, MD US 21625

Description

Both youth and adults are invited to join us on Saturday, September 21st for the Mini Monarch Ultra Event at the Tardigrade Obstacle Course in Cordova, Maryland!

Four spectacular events will raise funds for Environmental Concern's Mini Monarch Ultra Program and travel expenses for the Monarch Ultra Relay Run!

The events include: 

(1) A Competitive Obstacle Course Race, which will be timed with age group awards;

(2) A Fun Obstacle Course Race, which is perfect for families and those who do not want to compete;

(3) A 1.5-mile Fun Run/Walk;

(4) A Virtual Run.

All participants will receive a Mid-Atlantic Monarch Initiative (MAMI) bumper sticker and milkweed seeds to take home and plant in your garden!

You will also have the opportunity to:

  • Learn about the magnificent Monarch Butterfly Migration!
  • Learn about the incredible Monarch Ultra Relay Run taking place September 19th to November 4th following the migration!
  • Meet one of the Monarch Ultra Runners!
  • See a native meadow planted with milkweed and other nectar plants for Monarch Butterflies!
  • See live Monarch Butterflies and watch a tagging event!
  • Color pictures of Monarch Butterflies!
  • Take home native milkweed seed to plant in your own garden!

Parking will be at Triple Creek Winery at 11138 Three Bridge Branch Rd, Cordova, MD 21625, and will be $5.00 cash per vehicle.  You will take a fun hay ride over to the event venue.  The Wine Barn will be open, so plan to grab a glass of wine before or after the event!

Please consider becoming a Sponsor of the Mini Monarch Ultra Event or making a donation!  We appreciate your support!

See below for the Event Schedule and Sponsorship information!

Race Contact Info

If you have any questions about this race, please contact the race director at

Hosts and Partner Organizations

Egg Sponsor

THIS EVENT IS A FUNDRAISER FOR THE MONARCH ULTRA PROJECT!

You are invited to be a part of an incredible project!  One that connects Monarch butterflies, ultra-running and film-making with resiliency, inspiration & beauty that surrounds us all....

This event is a fundraiser to support the Monarch Ultra Project!  The Monarch Ultra Project is the first attempt to run across North America (Canada, United States, & Mexico) in order to raise awareness of monarch butterflies who make the migratory journey every year, and whose populations are in serious decline.

A team of documentary film-makers, runners, and pollinator advocates will be telling the story of the flight of the monarch butterfly seen through the eyes of ultra-runners who will run the same distance of 4,300 km from southern Ontario to Mexico in the fall of 2019!  

Our 47-day running adventure will invite runners to traverse wild landscapes as well as populated urban areas while building camaraderie, overcoming adversity, and sharing a singular adventure with monarch butterflies.  The Monarch Ultra is a celebration of two types of superheroes: monarch butterflies and ultra-runners.  Both cover long distances using their incredible body strength to arrive at a new (unknown) destination.  Most importantly, the Monarch Ultra is an opportunity to connect us as human beings across North America with common goals of Earth stewardship and biodiversity conservation.

Check out more information at:

http://www.themonarchultra.com/ 

In addition, Environmental Concern Inc. (EC) will be working with local schools on Mini Monarch Ultra Run/Walks that will occur during the same time period as the "Monarch Ultra Relay Run".  EC will work with the schools providing them with a "Mini Monarch Ultra" manual that will explain the program; coordinating with the schools and providing them with support in creating their own Mini Monarch Ultra; providing them with milkweed plugs for each of the participants; engaging the school communities through social media and the web; and connecting them with other schools throughout North America participating in the program!

MEET MONARCH ULTRA RUNNER - JESSICA LISTER

Jessica Lister is the co-founder of the Mid-Atlantic Monarch Initiative (MAMI) and Vice President of Restoration at Environmental Concern Inc. in Maryland (http://www.wetland.org/).  As EC’s VP of Restoration, Jess facilitates the creation and restoration of tidal marsh and wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay region.  Through MAMI, Jess educates the public about monarch butterflies and collaborates with organizations and landowners to restore monarch butterfly habitat.

Jess has a deep passion for the monarch butterfly, which began back in high school when she conducted field work with the University of Maryland for their research on the impacts of Bt corn pollen on monarch butterfly populations.  During her months of field work observing and learning everything she could about the monarch, her love for the species grew.  Jess considers the monarch butterfly her “spirit animal”, representing the hope, change, and endurance that she strives to have in life. 

In addition to the monarch butterfly, Jess’s other great passion is for trail running and obstacle course racing.  Jess’s husband, Matthew Lister, is an elite obstacle course racer and endurance runner, and their family of five (three kiddos - Zach 11 yrs old, Alex 9 yrs old, and Ali 7 yrs old) travel all over the United States for races.  They have a small 14-acre farmette in Cordova, Maryland where they have created a 3-acre meadow full of milkweed and nectar sources for monarchs, as well as a 1.5-mile training course with 28+obstacles – the Tardigrade Obstacle Course (https://www.ocrtardigradetough.com/).  Their family hosts training groups, birthday parties, summer camps, and fundraisers…encouraging people to push their limits and conquer their fears.

As Jess puts it, the Monarch Ultra Project is a “dream come true”….it’s very rare in life when your two utmost passions…your two worlds “collide”.  She couldn’t be more excited to embark on this journey and support this amazing project.  For Jess, this will be her very first ultra run.  She is ready and excited to put in the work, and go through the “transformation” to become an ultra runner.

Fun Fact:  Jess’s first and only tattoo is of a monarch butterfly, which ironically…..is on her foot. 

 

THE MID-ATLANTIC MONARCH INITIATIVE (MAMI)

MAMI Mission:

The mission of Environmental Concern's Mid-Atlantic Monarch Initiative (MAMI) is to foster collaboration and activate conservation initiatives through shared physical and educational resources to increase Monarch habitat in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

Goals:

  • Education the public about Monarch butterflies and the importance of creating habitat for Monarchs.
  • Propagating and increasing availability of milkweed species and pollinator species for local restoration and conservation efforts.
  • Creating and restoring Monarch butterfly habitat.
  • Inventorying the existing milkweed populations.
  • Creating "No Mow" zones.

EVENT SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH

9:30 AM to 2:30 PM - Packet Pick-up at Environmental Concern Inc, 201 Boundary Lane, St. Michaels, MD 21663

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH

9:30 AM to 2:30 PM - Packet Pick-up at Environmental Concern Inc, 201 Boundary Lane, St. Michaels, MD 21663

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST

12:30 PM - Parking at Triple Creek Winery Opens - $5.00/vehicle (11138 Three Bridge Branch Rd, Cordova, MD 21625)

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Packet Pick-up and Registrations

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Monarch Butterfly Activities and Kids Area

2:00 PM - Competitive Obstacle Course Race Begins (all competitors must be ready to go at 2:00 pm)

2:30 PM - Fun Obstacle Course Race Begins (participants can start the course any time up until 4:00 pm)

3:00 PM - 1.5-mile Fun Run/Walk Begins (participants can start the course any time up until 4:00 pm)

3:30 PM - Awards Ceremony for Competitive Participants

SPONSORSHIP AND VOLUNTEER INFORMATION

We would not be able to put on an event like this without our amazing sponsors and volunteers!  We truly appreciate your support!

Please visit our Volunteer tab on the website if you are interested in volunteering.

Our Sponsorship Levels are as follows:

$1,000 - Migration Sponsor

$500 - Monarch Butterfly Sponsor

$250 - Chrysalis Sponsor

$100 - Caterpillar Sponsor

$50 - Egg Sponsor

$25 - Milkweed Sponsor

Sponsorships and donations can be done online through the "donation" link, or by sending a check to 'Tardigrade Obstacle Course Racing' at 11315 Old Cordova Rd, Cordova, MD 21625.  For any donation/sponsorship above $25, your logo will be added to the website.  Just email your logo and information to ocrtardigradetough@gmail.com.  Thank you!!!

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Hosts and Partner Organizations
Egg Sponsor

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