Riders thanked for helping butterflies

To the editor:

Thank you, RAGBRAI and Facebook, for helping our monarchs.

Last July, RAGBRAI riders were greeted in Mount Vernon by members of the Monarchs in Eastern Iowa (MEI) Facebook group. Two-thousand milkweed seed balls were distributed to bicyclists. Riders were invited to be 'guerrilla gardeners for nature” by helping spread milkweed - the only plant on which monarch butterflies will lay their eggs and their caterpillars will feed. Native habitats including milkweed have been largely decimated in Iowa through spraying fields, ditches and yards with herbicide containing glyphosate.

MEI wants to thank Mount Vernon Community Development Group's RAGBRAI committee, our street butterflies and booth attendants, seed ball production crews, banner designers, those who covered publicity and printed fliers. Plans are underway for increased impact during RAGBRAI 2016, with more seed ball distribution across Iowa and a riding team. To get involved, email milkweedmatters@gmail.com.

Thank you to the many news stations and newspapers, state and national, that carried this event through Associated Press, including USA Today. It caught the attention of Facebook who sent a film crew to our Monarch Tag and Release Event graciously sponsored by Cornell College's Library. They developed an MEI Facebook Story (www.facebook.com/FacebookStoriesEnglish/), further spreading the word. Especially, we are grateful to RAGBRAI riders. You not only planted milkweed for our monarchs, you helped spread awareness of how fragile our natural world is, and how individuals can initiate change, one seed at a time.

Patty Ankrum

Mount Vernon