Rouge Rundown – July 30, 2025: Rain Gardens 101 | Free Health Fair | Adopt a Gage & More

Interested in rain gardens but don’t know where to start? This workshop is for you! This free one-hour introductory workshop will teach you what a rain garden is and how you can build one in your yard!

When: Saturday, August 9th, 10-11 am
Where: Dearborn Performing Arts Center

Rain gardens reduce neighborhood flooding and basement backups, while adding beauty to your yard. Learn how you can protect your home and your Rouge River with a rain garden.

Spend a fun morning in the gardens with your Friends, followed by a potluck picnic and fun games! You’ll clean the gardens together with Friends to the tune of great music and conversation. Then, end your morning with a picnic next to the garden. All ages and gardening experiences are welcome!

When: Saturday, August 16th, 9 am – 12 pm
Where: Plymouth Arts & Recreation Complex

Learn about all the native plants in the PARC gardens and seek out the pollinators that visit them! Look forward to fresh air, good company, games, music, and more! It will be a wonderful way to start your weekend!

Are you concerned about flooding? Do you want to help keep us safer when it rains? The Michigan Resilient Watersheds Council is looking for residents willing adopt each of 19 newly placed gages in the Rouge River watershed to improve flooding prediction, identify hotspots and develop mitigation strategies.

Adoption involves checking the gage once and week as well as during rain events when you will also take measurements. The only equipment needed is a phone with a camera. Check out the sites and volunteer for one. You can also suggest an additional site you know of that is prone to flooding.

Add a pop of year-round color to your native garden with this beautiful limited edition garden tile! All created locally by Pewabic pottery studio to celebrate the Southeast Michigan watershed collaboration: the Rain Catchers Collective. This 4×6 tile is the perfect way to bring a little joy to your outdoor space, while showing your support for our clean water mission! 

Hurry! Only a small batch is available. Buy yours today while supplies last. 

FOTR is now using Bloomerang Volunteer to help you explore events, sign up for opportunities, and track your volunteer hours. You can create your account in just a few minutes and once it’s set up, you won’t need to repeat the process again. New volunteer opportunities will be posted as they become available. 

If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact Marion Martyres, Volunteer Coordinator, at mmartyres@therouge.org. Whether you’re a new or longtime supporter, your volunteering makes all the difference!