Each year more and more people celebrate Earth Day, and this year on Grand Bahama the local partnerships are overflowing with support to make this a memorable event on the island. The GB Branch of the Bahamas National Trust and the GB Port Authority’s Keep Grand Bahama Clean Team have collaborated together to lead a series of events that will take place from Wednesday, April 13 through Saturday, April 16. Everything from puppet shows to face painting to recycling collections and nature walks are included in the festivities. All events are FREE and all are happening right here on Grand Bahama.

The 41^st anniversary of Earth Day is officially on Friday, April 22, 2011. Due to the Easter holiday, events on Grand Bahama are taking place the previous week.

Wednesday- April 13^th

Presentation for children at High Rock Primary School

The first in a series of events takes place at High Rock Primary School on Wednesday, April 13. On this day members of the KGBC (Keep Grand Bahama Clean) Team and local staff of the BNT (Bahamas National Trust) along with partners from the Department of Environment will be leading an Earth Day assembly for several schools. The primary schools of High Rock, Sweeting’s Cay, Free Town, and McLean’s Town are all invited for a presentation about Earth Day, the environment and the importance of keeping their schools clean. The educational session will also include a segment on preservation and protection of our natural resources. Finally the infamous KGBC puppets will “talk trash” to emphasize how every child plays a role in keeping our island clean.

Presentation for the public at Rand Nature Centre

On Thursday, April 14, at 7:00PM, Nakira Wilchcombe of the Grand Bahama Port Authority will give a presentation at the Rand Nature Centre in Freeport. This presentation is FREE and open to the public. As leader of the KGBC Team, Ms. Wilchcombe will cover the objectives, progress, initiatives, and partnerships that the KGBC Team is involved in and she will share insights on what is needed for future progress and momentum in keeping our island clean. Anyone who cares at all about Grand Bahama’s future should attend this presentation. If you live here you are a stake holder and you can make a difference.

Saturday-April16th- 8:30AM-2:30PM

Fun Filled Earth Day Celebration at Rand Nature Centre

On Saturday, April 16, there is a day of Earth Day fun planned from 8:30AM-2:00PM at the Rand Nature Centre. If you are a bird lover, art lover, nature lover or you just want to get out of the house, you don’t want to miss this celebration. There will also be a huge recycling collection and informational area at the event.

The day kicks off at 8:30AM with a guided bird walk through the beautiful trails of the Nature Centre led by BNT staff member Cecilia Bodie. This is a great opportunity for nature lovers to get a peak at the beautiful winged inhabitants of our island. For those that are not interested in bird watching, there are many other ongoing activities throughout the day.

For the children there are several things planned including face painting, seed planting and fun educational informational games. The Keep Grand Bahama Clean puppets will also be on hand to interact with visitors, and of course the Nature Centre’s resident parrot, peacocks, hawk and other creatures will all be there.

In the Glory Banks Art Gallery, located on site in the Rand’s welcome centre, there is the Grand Bahama Artists Association Spring Art exhibit. Also, in the gallery, artist Del Foxton will be displaying her natural paper-making process, which is always a favorite for adults and kids alike. Don’t miss this opportunity to view the beauty and talent of our local artists.

Recycling will also be featured on this day. Presto Recycling will be present to accept all non-ferrous metals, stainless steel, car batteries and aluminum cans. Paint Fair will be on site accepting any used paint for their reuse Paint Depot program, and used toner and inkjet cartridges will be accepted for recycling by the Ink Refill Station. There will also be an area for all Bahamian Brewery bottles, and any other bottles made of green glass. All proceeds for items brought to the Rand Nature Centre on Saturday, April 16^th will directly benefit the Grand Bahama Branch of the Bahamas National Trust. Everyone is encouraged to take part in this effort.

So if you think Earth Day celebrations are just about planting a tree or picking up trash in the bush, think again. On Grand Bahama it is about people coming together for the same goal, coming together as one to educate our children and bring awareness to our community about the preservation, protection and importance of taking care of our environment. But most of all, in true Grand Bahamian style, it is about having a good time.

So join in and have some fun. Celebrate the earth, celebrate the beauty of our island, get educated, or simply come out and be with people who truly care about our island’s future. Or then again you could always just stay home and watch television and learn about the latest crime, tragedy, or celebrity mishap in Hollywood. The choice is yours.

For more information about Earth Day on a global level you can visit www.earthday.org.

Cheri Wood recently retired from Bank of America and has now permanently relocated to Grand Bahama. Her career of over 20 years in corporate America included serving in various capacities including training, marketing, sales, quality control, risk assessment, communications and operational management. While performing her regular job responsibilities, Cheri also served several years as the president of the Environmental Network for the Bank of America in the State of Rhode Island. Her experience in the environmental arena includes project management and coordination of volunteer events on local and national levels throughout the United States. Over the years she has worked closely with organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, the Audubon Society, the Rhode Island Rivers’ Council, and in 2010 Cheri was elected as secretary of the GB Branch of the Bahamas National Trust. Serving in her voluntary role with the Bahamas National Trust, Cheri is involved with increasing recycling on the island, promoting green practices with local businesses, educating the community on the importance of preserving the environment, and serving as a resource for those who wish to participate in environmentalopportunities on local and international levels.