The Triangle Chapter conducted its first community outreach and fundraising event Saturday, April 1, 2017 from 8am to 12pm at the Duke Gardens Spring Plant Sale. Brian Bockhahn, John Jarvis, and Lori Carlson answered gardening questions, provided basic butterfly education, and talked about the CBS organization. A couple of Eastern Black Swallowtails had eclosed from overwintering as a chrysalis and were the stars of the morning.

A trial fundraising was conducted by offering Asclepias tuberosa, common fennel, and assorted cultivars of lantana. The lantana sold out within 90 minutes and the tuberosa plants sold out within three hours. All but two of the fennel were sold making the last-minute effort a success!