Hurry! Only Two Days Left to be Aware of the Bay!

After that you can go back to your normal obliviousness: First annual week of activities and events focused on the Chesapeake nears conclusion this weekend

This year, the legislatures of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia have declared June 4 - 12 to be Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week. The week began with Virginia’s Clean the Bay Day on June 4 and is set to end on the second Saturday in June, with the annual Patuxent River Wade-in, begun decades ago by Bernie Fowler, former Maryland state senator and longtime Bay advocate.

For the first thing, since when does a week include 9 days (count them off)? I've always assumed weeks started on Sunday, and lasted until Saturday, just like the calendar show. However "Bay Awareness" week seems to include Saturdays and Sundays on both ends.

The idea for the week came from the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state, bipartisan legislative group focused on recommending policies for preserving and restoring the Bay.

Ann Swanson, the commission’s executive director, said Virginia Del. Scott Lingamfelter, the group’s chairman last year, came up with the idea. When told the states didn’t have a Bay Awareness Week, he offered to put in legislation for one in his state. Maryland Sen. Thomas “Mac” Middleton and Del. Maggie McIntosh made the same offer for Maryland, and Pennsylvania’s Reps. Garth Everett and Mike Sturla took up the cause in the Keystone State.

It's a good thing our legislators are dealing with all the big issues for us.

All in all, I think I've done rather well this "week", have had at least two fishing trips and several walks on the beach. Just think of how much more aware I might have been if I'd known it was "Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week" ahead of time!