Clean & Green – We Are About To Get VERY Busy!

It won’t be long before the hours of daylight increase, a warm and blustery hint of spring is in the air, and Athens and Limestone County come to life with activities!

KALB has officially put fall behind us and we are looking toward our spring events. We get excited because there is so much good accomplished during this time. Adults and children are educated about our impact on the environment we rely on to survive. Our precious water resource, the Elk River, gets the attention it so richly deserves. Best of all, we have the opportunity to talk one on one with our neighbors who share this piece of the earth with us.

Here are a few of our upcoming events:

Home and Garden Show – March 11th and 12th
Stop by our booth to see what’s new in the world of recycling, litter abatement, beautification, and environmental education. We love to visit with you.
I am pleased to share that the Alabama Forestry Commission – Limestone County Division will be procuring seedlings for us again this year. We will be giving them away to Limestone County residents at the Home and Garden Show. When we learn what variety of seedlings will be coming our way, we will share that information.
KALB has been asked to participate in the Kids Area again this year. From Noon to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, we will be helping children plant seeds to take home, care for, and watch grow. There might also be a visit from Sparky, our mascot!

Elk River Canoe & Kayak Trail Cleanup – April 2nd
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has agreed to sponsor our cleanup again this year! That means the group competition for cash prizes of $250, $150, and $100 is ON! We have made an important change for this year. The group weights will be divided by the number of group members participating, and that number will be used to determine the winners. This will allow small groups an even playing field with larger groups to compete for the prizes.

Registration is open. You will find the event on the Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful Facebook page. Information and links to documents can be found at www.KALBCares.com under the Event tab.
Earth Day & Outdoor EXPO – April 30th

This will be our 8th Earth Day event, and we are so proud of how it has grown and how the community has embraced it as a “must see” event!

KALB has been invited to use the grounds of Friendship Church on Lucas Ferry Rd. in Athens. We are grateful and excited about this because the large property will allow us to expand our activities! We will also have the buildings available for “inside” activities and in case of inclement weather, which means no more scrambling for a rain location.

The Alabama Wildlife Center, a champion of birds since 1977, will be joining us this year for the first time, bringing with them a variety of raptors. AWC rescues, rehabilitates, and returns to the wild Alabama’s injured and orphaned native birds. As experts, they will provide great information on the proper steps to take if you should find an injured bird. The Tennessee Valley Zoo will be returning to this year’s event. Everyone had a great time petting, feeding, and learning about the variety of animals they brought with them.

The Earth Day planning team has many more possibilities in the works, so stay tuned!

Our sponsors are crucial to making this the most successful event it can be. Exhibitors are also invited to register for a space. All exhibitors must have an environmental education piece to their display, have earth-friendly products or services to share, information on healthy living, or have information on outdoor activities in the North Alabama area. If you would like more information on sponsorship opportunities or exhibitor spaces, please contact us or visit our website.
By: Lynne Hart