Celebration of Earth Day 2017 continued Thursday, with fifth graders at the Perry Elementary School and St. Pat’s School planting trees and learning about the invasion of the emerald ash borer.
Earth Day is Saturday, April 22, and the Perry Hy-Vee has partnered with the Perry schools and the city of Perry in a series of activities called Earth Week April 17-22, aiming to teach students about the importance of recycling and environmental sustainability.
Thursday was Tree Day, with fifth grade students helping Perry Parks and Recreation Director John Anderson plant trees near the schools. Anderson then delivered a short programs for the students, discussing the importance of trees, the development of the city nursery and the recent infestation of the ash trees.
Hy-Vee donated the trees for Tree Day.
Friday’s events included Perry City Administrator Sven Peterson chatting with fourth graders at the Perry Elementary School and at St. Pat’s about Perry’s ecologically friendly programs, including recycling, energy-saving street lights, the new wind turbines, the solar-powered gator and other green technologies.
The week-long activities culminate on Earth Day itself, Saturday, April 22, with Frog Creek Day. Volunteers will help to clean the banks of Frog Creek as it flows through Pattee Park. A free lunch of hot dogs, chips and water will be provided by the Perry Hy-Vee.
