ALTON, Ill. – Pirates and land-lubbers unite next Wednesday to celebrate Earth Day and the coming of Spring with games, food and entertainment during Lewis and Clark's annual Springfest.
The joint celebration will run from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, April 20 on the grass between Hatheway Hall and the Enrollment Center, and all are invited.
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“Springfest is always a fun day on campus when hundreds of students spend a couple of hours outdoors, the perfect venue to share environmental education ideas and showcase some of the green projects taking place on campus," said Marcia Lochmann, director of sustainability at Lewis and Clark Community College.
For the second year in a row, the Office of Sustainability and Student Activities have combined forces to offer students more fun and more education during the event.
Student Activities will provide free barbecue; inflatable games including a bungee run and joust competition; a treasure hunt and a dunking booth, along with informational tables on the various student organizations on campus, including WLCA 89.9 and The Bridge.
“Students should stop and take the time to get involved because Springfest promotes a healthy school spirit and fosters students meeting others they don't know," said Jared Hennings, Student Activities coordinator. “It's an opportunity to unwind and have fun, and learn about the various clubs and organizations on campus."
Lochmann said earth-friendly activities will include a Biology Club plant sale, vermicomposting, recycling, segway tours, carbon footprint calculation, a green fleet display and community supported agriculture booths.
New this year – students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to sign up for carpooling and alternative transportation with RideFinders and MCT Transit registration; explore on-campus nature trails; learn about a new campus service project set to remove invasive species from the back pond on campus and participate in a Recyclemania celebration, benchmarking Lewis and Clark's efforts on campus.
Individuals on campus who signed up for the Green Pass program last year will receive awards for their commitment to reducing emissions from transportation.
“Faculty, staff and students have been receiving meal tickets, gas cards or bus passes for using an alternative form of transportation once per week and tracking their miles saved, but all the participants will also receive an award for their commitment to reducing their impact," Lochmann said. “The participant with the greatest percentage of miles saved will be given a special award."
In other green activities, the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center will be on hand to talk about the Jerry F. Costello Confluence Field Station's green building features and set up a RiverWatch display showing how macroinvertebrate sampling occurs, and President Dale Chapman will sign the second edition of the Illinois Sustainable University Compact, a commitment to operating even more green in next three years.
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