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Mother Nature can’t stop Earth Day celebration |
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Saturday, 12 April 2008 |
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 By Lynda Hollenbeck
Courier Staff
The Earth Day celebration in the Harmony Grove School District went on as scheduled Thursday though turbulent weather led to the cancellation of other community events.
Officials of the school district and Rineco, the sponsoring entity, took a brief break at mid-day during heavy rainfall, Salina Rivers, spokesperson for Rineco, said.
“We had a great time,” Rivers said. “At mid-day when the weather got really bad, we sent the kids back to the classroom, had lunch, then continued with the observance.”
Rivers said around 1,000 students — preschoolers through seniors — participated in the event that disseminates information and exhibits on caring for the environment, protecting wildlife, conservation of natural resources and recycling.
Rineco sponsors the event every year to encourage responsible care of the environment, Rivers said.
School officials said the observance is “an important program, not only for the community, but also for the students.”
Praise was heaped on Rineco for its assistance to the program.
“It is refreshing to see a local business take such an interest in our students,” a teacher said.
Rivers expressed appreciation to Jamal Lampkin, who represented U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., at the event, and to state Rep. Lamont Cornwell, who attended for a time.
Many area officials were involved in disaster relief and preparedness efforts while the observance was taking place and could not attend, Rivers noted.
Haskell police, Haskell firefighters and the National Weather Service were among the exhibitors that could not participate because of weather-related events, Rivers said.
Also, the American Legion Auxiliary members were unable to attend because of the weather.
Earth Day celebrations are held across America; however, few schools offer such a variety of activities for students as does the one at Harmony Grove.
Exhibitors included the following:
•American Legion Auxillary.
•Arkansas Army National Guard.
•Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.
•Arkansas Forestry Commission.
•Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
•Ash Grove Cement Co.
•Arkansas Cattlewoman’s Association.
•Little Rock Zoo Education.
•Natural Resources Conservation Service/Saline County Conservation District.
•Pinnacle Mountain State Park.
•Raptor Rehab Of Central Arkansas.
•Rineco.
•Saline County 4-H.
•Saline County Extension Office.
•Saline County Farm Bureau (Women’s Commission).
•Saline County Regional Solid Waste management District.
•Humane Society of Saline County.
•Toltec Mounds State Park.
•Turtle Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
•U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — Degray Lake. |
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