T-G STAFF REPORT
Those wishing to pre-order the new River Life license plate can visit shelbyville-bedford.com/river-life. Since it is a specialty license plate, there will be a $35 one-time fee.
The state needs 1,000 pre-orders by June of 2023 to put the plate into production. Members of the Shelbyville Bedford Partnership are encouraging residents to buy the plate whose funds will go toward rescue, conservation, and education initiatives related to the Duck River.
As of this week, there are 65 pre-orders. Beth Davis, Director of External Affairs for the Partnership, said they can ask for an extension past June 2023 or ultimately provide a refund if the goal is not met. However, she said they are very confident they will make the 1,000-goal.
Once they have been notified that the River Life plate is under production, those who ordered can go online and request their plate to be customized for an additional $70 (the initial $35 plate cost
While the initial project focus is the Duck River, the long-term goal of Project River Life is to support and aid additional river systems and waterways throughout Tennessee, as the program grows annually through the sale of the River Life plates.
According to the Partnership’s official website, the River Life license administration fee will be received by the Shelbyville-Bedford Foundation, which will dispense the funds initially to Bedford County public safety agencies.
Once project River Life is established, a grant/scholarship program will allow non-profit organizations and other groups to submit requests for projects specific to their local rivers. These requests will be evaluated by the River Life Committee in an evaluation of statewide and local needs.
