Earth Day Celebrations - PAC Style!

What Earth Day would be complete without a
"Douglas Fir" and "Sasquatch" mascot?

If you've been following me for a while, you'll know that I am a very active member of the PAC (Parent Advisory Council) at my daughter's school. Along with planning fundraising events and working with the teachers, we organize some fun events for the kids every year. Earth Day is no exception, with the parents coming together each April to run and entire day of Earth-minded activities for each and every student. This school year our celebration ran on Wednesday, April 24, and we were lucky enough to be doing it under a glorious blue sky and bright sun!


So you have an idea of what we do, starting in late fall, a group of parents come together and start spit-balling ideas of workshops to run throughout the day, the goal being to provide activities for all grade levels that will guide the curriculum for the day. This year's activities included some pretty amazing groups, including the Mobile Dairy Classroom and their Mom and baby cows, Backyard Bounty's chickens, and, I think the highlight of the day, Mike, The Reptile Guy and his band of creeping, crawling and slithering friends! 

Fellow parent volunteers having fun with a new friend!

Along with helping to organize the day, for the second year running, I, with the help of my good friend Brenna (A Girl, A Bike and a Dream...), ran the Bike Buddies workshop. We provided students ages 7-12 with a seminar all about simple bike maintenance, including the anatomy of their drive train, how to keep it running smoothly through cleaning and oiling, and proper tire pressure. The kids had fun getting dirty while they cleaned up their grimy, well used bikes, but I do think the highlight was pumping their tires. Somehow, kids get such delight of using a floor pump, and fought over who's turn it would be next. At least they didn't use it like my kids do to make farting noises on their bellies!

Getting all set up for the day

My daughter helped set up by playing
hop scotch with an inner tube

B.E.S.T. The Bicycle Valet came out for
the day to park over 80 bikes for the kids
who used two-wheeled transit to get to school
 for Earth Day

I feel truly privileged to be involved with such a great group of parents so willing to volunteer time from their already busy schedules to provide these experiences for our kids. It's not every parents that can do what I, and to a greater extent, we can do, and I am grateful every day that I have a work-life balance that affords me the opportunity to do it. Our kids love it, too, which is what makes all our efforts worthwhile. As Earth Week comes to a close, hopefully we have been able to impart some earth-minded knowledge onto the next generation, while having fun along the way. I wish you the happiest of Earth Weeks, and look forward to exciting Earth Day 2014!

At the end of a busy day I left with my trailer
loaded up with plants from our plant sale
fundraiser to help make out deck a little more green!