On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day event, according to the Earth Day Network, the non-profit organization charged with coordinating Earth Day events across the globe.
Now, 45 years later, in keeping with that tradition, Voorhees Township will celebrate its own fourth annual Earth Day event on Sunday, April 26 at Eastern Regional High School from 1–4 p.m.
The Voorhees Environmental and Cultural Education Foundation and Rutgers Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability will coordinate the event.
Scheduled to attend are numerous groups with conservation and Earth-friendly ideas, such as Garden State Discovery Museum, South Jersey Beekeepers Association, Master Gardeners, Sustainable Voorhees, Voorhees Environmental Commission, Camden County Bike Share, New Jersey American Water and the South Jersey Kite Flyers, to name just a few.
“Our objective is always to natural things, educational things, and just to try to impart some conservation ideas,” said Helen Arvin, president of the VECEF.
While the event normally takes place at the Voorhees Environmental Park on Centennial Boulevard, site of the former Buzby Landfill now turned 36-acre passive recreation area, this year, expected work at the park moved the event to Eastern Regional High School.
And while Arvin said this year’s venue would provide more parking and hopefully allow for a larger turnout, she said the event is still very much a fundraiser for the Voorhees Environmental Park.
“This is a fundraiser for the park,” Arvin said. “We want to get the word out about what we’re doing, and this does help raise money.”
As in years past, Arvin said there will be food and vendors, as well as about $1,000 worth of raffle prizes for visitors to win, including two refurbished adult bikes and two new children’s bikes, one boy and one girl.
Arvin also said visitors should bring their own kites to join in with the South Jersey Kite Flyers, who will be soon visiting Voorhees Middle School to teach kids how to make their own kites and show the science and mathematics behind such a project.
“Flying a kite is really uplifting, I think, and we’ve had wonderful weather and for the last two years that we’ve done the flying of kites it’s always a windy day,” she said.
Overall, Arvin said the event is a good way to keep the public knowledgeable and up to date about the Voorhees Environmental Park, which will begin the installation of a wildflower meadow this spring or fall.
A full plan outlining the future development of the park as designed through a partnership with the VECEF, the township and the Rutgers University Department of Landscape Architecture can be viewed at www.voorheesnj.com.
Arvin encourages the public to come out for a fun event where visitors can honor Earth Day and learn to take care of the environment.
“Everybody needs to be very aware of conservation, and this is a way to have fun and learn about conservation and what our park is about,” she said.
