Earth Day makes another turn at Somerset Community College Sunday

Christopher Harris, Commonwealth Journal, Somerset, Ky.
·3 min read

Apr. 11—Happy Earth Day to you!

Monday, April 22, marks the official celebration of the planet and its health, but in Somerset, the occasion will be marked by the Earth Day celebration taking place this Sunday, April 14 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the Somerset Community College campus.

This is the second year back for the long-running festival-like event after taking three years off for Covid-related concerns, and as always, it's free to the public.

"It's going to be a little bit bigger this year than it was last year," said Kelly Johnson, Associate Professor of Biology at SCC. "We're thrilled to welcome back members of our community to campus. We're really excited about what all we're going to have this year."

There was no rust to shake off last year, as it went well, noted Johnson, despite less than ideal weather.

"This year, it looks like (the weather) is going to be super nice," she said. "Even though the weather was cool and damp, we still had over 1,000 people and we're hoping for twice that this year."

Every year, the Earth Day event at SCC is a mixture of fun activities for kids, engaging and educational exhibits, and of course, lots of live animals to see up close.

"We've got exhibits on ... plants and pollinators, and as usual we have a variety of different animals," said Johnson. "We'll have activities on our nature trail (behind SCC's Somerset campus, where Master Musicians Festival is held each year) and our typical plant and tree giveaways and live music."

Highlights include:

—The Kentucky Reptile Zoo and Liberty Nature Center are old favorites that bring all sorts of creatures, from those that crawl to those that soar, so people can experience some of earth's most unique wildlife face to face.

This year, the Born 2 Be Wild Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will also participate, said Johnson. "That's something that's relatively new in our area, and they're going to join us and tell us about the work that they're doing to rescue animals that have been injured," said Johnson.

—Technology fans and auto enthusiasts alike may want to check out the electric car display, featuring an environmentally-conscious approach to traveling the open road.

—Johnson said that they're trying to have additional things for kids to do, including rock painting and nature-focused crafts.

—Lake Cumberland Master Gardeners, Glory Gardens Greenhouse, and Joy of Natives Native Plants are expected to be on hand to help attendees learn more about green leafy wonders of nature.

—Giveaways of rain barrels are always popular at SCC's Earth Day event, and Johnson said the barrels this year are "beautiful," having been painted by a variety of SCC groups, including cosmetology students, medical assisting, the admissions department, and Upward Bound.

"We have eight that will be given out throughout the day," said Johnson. "Everyone needs to make sure they register under the ... big white tent. They can register there and get their rain barrel tickets."

—Food options include City Slickers Dawgs and an ice cream truck.

Johnson noted that she hears frequently from people who recall going to Earth Day at SCC as a child and how that was a favorite memory — and now they're an adult, excited about coming back and experiencing it in a different way.

"We all are connected with nature; it's easy as we get older to forget that," said Johnson. "So coming back to Earth Day at SCC and having a chance to reconnect with nature for adults, but then seeing the joy on children's faces as they learn different things (is great)."

"We're just really looking forward to it and hoping that it will be a wonderful day on Sunday," she added. "... We want everybody that wants to and can come to join us and enjoy the day."