As I write this article, I am still exhausted from the Earth Day & Outdoor EXPO and all the work that led up to a very successful day. It is a good tired.
The event was moved to Friendship Church due to threats of stormy weather; however, we still had between 1,500 and 2,000 people come through to enjoy the many activities and exhibits. We are very grateful to the pastors and staff of Friendship Church for allowing us to use their facility.
I would like to publicly thank each of the volunteer members of the Earth Day & Outdoor EXPO Committee. Planning a large event is difficult enough, but when you have to move it and change everything at the last minute, it is extremely stressful. The KALB Commission members and community volunteers that joined the committee worked very hard to make everything come together. KALB has some of the best volunteers on planet Earth!
There is a story and a man behind the first Earth Day celebration which I would like to share. In 2008, Mr. John Crews, owner of Crews, Inc., came to me and asked if KALB would like him to financially sponsor an open house so the community could come and get to know more about our organization. He wanted to bring in a radio personality, serve free hot dogs, and give away some door prizes. In the spring of 2009, our Open House took place and was so well attended, it was decided we would do it again with Earth Day as our theme.
The interest Mr. Crews took in KALB was the spark that lead to what has become our annual Earth Day celebrations. On Saturday, April 25th, KALB recognized Mr. Crews at the Earth Day & Outdoor EXPO as the catalyst for Earth Day events in Athens. Mr. Crews humbly denied doing anything worthy of the award he was given; however, his initial generous offer and his constant support of this event is truly worthy of recognition.
The 2015 Earth Day and Outdoor EXPO was a huge success! Hundreds of hot dogs and lots of door prizes were given away. Beautiful raptors and reptiles were on display from the Coosa River Science School. Kids were feeding a calf, goats, alpacas, and other animals at the Tennessee Valley Zoo display. Other exhibitors allowed for handling of bugs and petting a bearded dragon. Lots of organizations were representing all the wonderful outdoor adventures that await in North Alabama. Our guests collided with the wonders of nature!
We hope you had the chance to visit with us. If not, we’ll do it again next year!
By: Lynne Hart
