An Earth Day event will be held April 22nd from 1-3 p.m. at the Marion County Park near the covered bridge.

There will be local speakers starting at 1 p.m. with birds of prey, a crafting area, a pond life discovery and more.

Linette Bernard with Saving Our Avian Resources (SOAR) talks about raptor rehabilitation, education and research. Naturalist Marla Mertz will speak about wildlife and the impact we have on them and Karen Brown, with Brown’s Sanitation, speaks about her business and ways to recycle.

The Earth Sweep event was put together through the efforts of Cullie Provenzano who worked on the project three years ago and has seen it grow each year. Cullie’s 5-year-old daughter Frankie, will also speak at 1:30. Between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. around the Covered Bridge and Shelter and pond will be a Prairie Earth Ball making/(seed bombs), a pond study to see what lives under the water and a plant swap is planned.

Provenzano tells KNIA/KRLS News how she got started after having children of her own, “I decided I wanted to raise them as little environmentalists and humanitarians.”

There will be biodegradable bags for those who would like to pick up trash in designated areas.