Recap of 1st Earth Day “Green Fest”: April 24, 2010

The first annual Earth Day Community Cleanup & Green Fest Exhibition was a great success.  Over 76 volunteers of all ages showed up on Saturday morning, April 24th, to help “Cleanup Clayton”.  Lunch was served to the volunteers, with the help of foodstuffs donated from our local restaurants including: O’Briens; the Castle; the Big M; the Lyric; and Subway.  At noon, the Green Fest Exhibition began.  There was lots to see…and lots to do.  Some of the favorites included the live goats from the Forbes Farm and Cross Island Farms and bird house making with Greene Structures, Inc.  Food, wine and many wares were available for purchase.  All of the exhibitors demonstrated different aspects of local sustainability.  We thank everyone who came out to check us out and hope we have an even bigger crowd next year!  Make sure to check out more photos on our Facebook Page…

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TIYLO organizes Clayton Community Clean-Up Day & Earth Day “Green Fest” on April 24

“If you want to be important – wonderful.  If you want to be recognized – wonderful.  if you want to be great – wonderful.  But recognize that he who is the greatest among you shall be your servant.  That’s a new definition of greatness…It means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve…you only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love, and you can be that servant.”  Excerpted from “The Drum Major Instinct” by Dr. Martin Luther King

—TIYLO invites the entire Clayton Community to come together to clean-up our town from 9:00-12:00 on the morning of Saturday, April 24^th.  The areas of focus have been designated and have been organized with the help of other local community organizations.  They include cleanups at the Lion’s Field, the Riverwalk, Hawn Library and other local parks in the Village of Clayton.  We will meet everyone in the Cerow Recreation Park parking lot at 9am to assign groups for the cleanup.  If you want to participate later, you can join any group that you find around town.  And, if you have garden gloves or rakes feel free to bring them with you!!  Immediately following the 3 hour clean-up, we will collectively meet back at the arena for the “Green Fest” Event.  There, all those who volunteered their time during the morning will be given a free lunch put on by local restaurants.

The “Green Fest” will be at the Cerow Recreation Park Arena.  There will be demonstrations, booths, information, and local experts in their field to provide insight on how to be more “green”.  Our focus for this celebration is to generate enthusiasm and to work together as a community, inviting families to eat local, shop local, move local, power local and to act local.  This will be a day of great fun, we will have food, music by local Musicians, our local wineries there for wine tasting, rain barrel demonstrations, composting demonstrations, maple syrup, organic meat, free electronics drop-off, the Thrift Store will be there to accept any clothes or toys you may want to recycle, local landscapers will be there with all the new demonstrating new “green” landscaping techniques, etc.

We have contacted numerous individuals and businesses in an effort to build a “green” forum where the public can come to learn more about living in a more environmentally-friendly way.  A few of those who have already confirmed as “exhibitors” for “Green Fest” include: Kevin Richardson from North Country Farms, Dani Baker with Cross Island Farms, Save the River, Harry and Urch from River Rat Ranch on Grindstone, Representatives for the Community Garden at Zenda Farms, Robin Hoffman representing SUNY-ESF, and Ed Walldroff with Organic farming, milk, eggs, yogurt and meat.  Eric Youngs from Greenscapes and Alan Marceau with Lawn Images will be doing some demonstrations.  We are also excited to have a hybrid car demonstration by Lofinks.

In addition, TIYLO is working with local individuals and organizations to provide a program where in return for 10 plastic bags we will be giving away a free, locally made, canvas bag.  And, it doesn’t stop there.  As the planning for this spectacular event continues, there are more surprises on the way.

We hope that you take part in what is sure to be a great day of service in Clayton!!  What a great example to set for your family—everyone getting out there to take better care of our planet and the community that we all call home!!  We look forward to seeing all of you there.

If you would like more information on the community cleanup, or on participating in or attending the “Green Fest”, email us at tiylo@live.com, visit us at www.tiylo.org, or call us at 315-405-3864.