BEAVER SPRINGS - Snyder County will grow a little bit greener this Saturday, but not because of the forecasted rain.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, the Middlecreek Area Community Center will transform into Eco-Town in honor of the 40th annual Earth Day.
Eco-Town will be decorated with recycled art made by local youth and adults at the MACC and the Snyder County Libraries.
Article Photos
MaryLee and Lamar Troup show off a recycled display that will be part of this Saturday’s Eco-Town celebration in Beaver Springs.
Submitted
photo
"The main idea is to teach the younger generation that you can make things from everything," said Leslie Gilda, who serves on the Snyder County Arts Council, an event host. "You don't always have to buy brand-new."
Eco-Town will encourage visitors to start at least one thing to help the environment, such as picking up trash on a walk or using fabric bags for groceries instead of plastic, Gilda said.
Leading by example, Gilda said Eco-Town will display art made from things that normally get thrown away, Gilda said. On Saturday, children will have the opportunity to make and take about 10 different crafts from recycled items.
Fact Box
COLLECTION ITEMS
On Saturday, non-profit groups will collect the following at the MACC:
* Yarn
* Leftover art supplies
* Used or new greeting cards
* 1/4 yard and 2/3 yard pieces of new cotton material
* Lace trim, rick-rack, buttons, thread
* New T-shirts (logos OK)
* Used pillowcases and sheets
* Paper towel tubes
* Egg cartons
* Cellphones
* Ink jet cartridges
* Eyeglasses
* Old flags
Visitors to Eco-Town also will encounter Route Reduce and continue to places like Thrifty Thruway, Recycling Roundabout, Redistribution Road, Uptown Upcycle and End the Sack Cul-de-sac.
In Preservation Park, eco-activists will share thought-provoking quotes, and a cemetery will teach the life span of all the stuff people use daily.
Populating the town will be various exhibitors, including the Department of Environmental Protection, Keystone Trails Association, Ambit Energy Group, 4-H, Chris's Worms from Lewisburg and local artisans.
Two non-profit groups, Sisters Sewing for Charity and Zion Lutheran Church from Kratzerville, also will be there to promote their work and collect supplies.
The Master Gardeners will present two displays on composting and "Good Bugs, Bad Bugs." The Snyder County Conservation District will give away seedlings; and Debbie Wolf, the Snyder County recycling co-ordinator, will be available to answer recycling questions.
Children also may participate in a bookmark project through the Snyder County Libraries.
At the end of town, a tree will be waiting to be filled in with "green birds" - visitors' own eco-friendly habits.
Throughout the event, agencies will collect various scrap and recycled items, including yarn, gently used pillow cases and sheets, egg cartons, cell phones, ink cartridges and more.
This free event is a joint effort of the MACC, Debbie Wolf from the Snyder County Waste Management Authority and The Snyder County Arts Council.
The Middlecreek Area Community Center is located at 67 Elm St., Beaver Springs. For more information, call (570) 658-2276.
