Kent State University at Stark commemorates Earth Day 2011 with the presentation of events to inspire the awareness of environmental responsibility and to improve the appreciation for our planet’s natural resources. Kent State Stark has partnered with the following sponsors to present these events: The Repository, Diebold Inc., Cain Toyota, The Print Shop, AEP Ohio, Brewer-Garret Company and Enviroscapes. The event will take place at Kent State Stark, 6000 Frank Avenue NW in Jackson Township. This event is free and open to the public.
 
Sunday, April 17 from 1 - 4 p.m.: Kent State Stark will present the Earth Day Celebration at the Campus Center and Pond area.Attendees will enjoy a family-friendly afternoon filled with environmental educational activities, entertainment, demonstrations and discussions for all ages.
 
Activities include:
•  Children’s Area – 1-3:45 p.m.: Face painting; Mock fossil dig; Decorative seed cups; Games – Earth Day Bingo, three-legged races and sack races; and more.
•  Guided Walks – 1:30-3:30 p.m.: Planetary, geologic and nature walks.
•  Presentation – 2:35 p.m.: The Arbor Day Foundation will formally honor Kent State Stark as a 2010 Tree Campus USA University for its dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship. This is the second consecutive year that Kent State Stark has received this distinction.

Entertainment Schedule:
•  1:30-2:15 p.m.: Garbage Busters Recycling Show – Tess the Trash Lady teaches children how recycling can be fun and educational. With puppetry, comedy magic, storytelling and music, the program shows children simple concepts of the importance of recycling and how they can make a difference for our planet.
•  2:45-3:30 p.m.: Singer Foster Brown will perform original children’s nature songs and stories while he accompanies himself on the guitar, banjo, fiddle, dulcimer and various percussion instruments. He encourages the audience to participate in the lively songs with hand motions, call-and-response and sing-alongs.
 
Throughout the event, Kent State Stark student organizations and contributing groups will conduct demonstrations and discuss how to positively impact our world. Participating organizations include: Stark Parks; Canton Audubon Society; Stark State College of Environmental, Health and Safety Technology; The Stock Pile; Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve; Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District; Ohio Environmental Protection Agency; Leaf Guard NE Ohio; Stark County Department of Health; ODNR Division of Forestry; Project REBUILD; National Environmental Science Education Center Inc.; Shake a Leaf; Ohio Chapter of ISA; and Master Gardeners of Ohio. The event will include a Toyota Prius on display from Cain Toyota, as well as Kent State Stark’s security vehicle, a 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid.

For more information on Kent State Stark’s Earth Day Celebration, call 330-244-3223 or visit www.stark.kent.edu/EarthDay.