Earth Day event promotes community teamwork

by:  Katie Writer – KTNA

Talkeetna celebrated Earth Day on Sunday under sunny skies at the Sheldon Community Arts Hangar.

Earth friendly booths filled the hangar, including Talkeetna Elementary Student Leadership Council, The Grove, Birch Creek Ranch, Talkeetna Recycling Works, and the Valley Community for Recycling Solutions. VCRS and the Mat-Su Borough have been working together with Talkeetna Recycling Works on maximizing community recycling and minimizing waste that enters the landfill.

Mollie Boyer of Valley Community Recycling Solutions is the Recycling Guru of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and her enthusiasm is contagious. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of VCRS that is located next to the Mat-Su Borough Landfill in Palmer.

At this year’s Earth Day, the Mat-Su Borough provided Talkeetna Recycling Works a roll off container for cardboard drop off. By mid day, the container was more than half full.

Kelly Thomas, who has organized Talkeetna’s Earth Day for the past 4 years speaks about the clothing swap and increasing environmentally friendly consciousness.

“We thought it was a great idea for more people to come and help clean out those bags stuffed in the back of the closet for a clothes swap.”

Birch Creek Ranch was giving out free potatoes while another booth provided egg cartons for kids to plant their own seeds.

The Talkeetna Elementary School Student Leadership Council raised over $180, funds that will be donated to a family that recently lost their home in a fire. 

Laynee Burke, a fourth grader at Talkeetna Elementary School says, “This bake sale is about the Bowey and Allen family because their house burnt down.”

“How does if feel to help out a family in need?”

“Really good.”

Another student, Shelby Whitecar of the fifth grade adds,

“It makes us happy to know that we are helping the community and helping out people in our school.”

Another Earth Day has passed that has fostered community support, recycling and teamwork.

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