MIDWEEK UPDATE Earth Day inspires cleanup, learning
Assistant Cubmaster Christi Buffington teaches Polson Cub Scouts about the Kerr Dam on Earth Day. The scouts also pitched in picking up litter along the dam's pedstrian path and overlook while on the field trip.
The local Boy Scout group was just one of many groups out and about through the week last week, working to clean and learn about the Earth for Earth Day.
The walking trail was alive all day Saturday as residents celebrated the earth. Students from Polson Middle School spent the morning on Wednesday cleaning up sites across their town.
POLSON — There is an ancient Native American proverb that states “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” In that case, the young members of Polson Cub Scout Pack 4947 took matters into their own hands on April 22, recycling and cleaning up trash from the Kerr Dam Overlook amongst other Earth Day activities.
A dozen local scouts learned about cleaning up the environment, energy conservation, and waster management when they ventured on an educational Earth Day field trip to the Lake County Landfill, Kerr Dam Overlook and Generating Station, and the Lake County Transfer Station.
In the mid-day heat, the youngsters arrived at the Kerr Dam Overlook, slapped on some sunscreen and bug spray, and with gloves on and trash bags in hand they took to scouring the scenic site for rampant litter. After a thorough cleaning, the cub scouts hiked down the Kerr Dam pedestrian path to get a closer look at Lake County’s energy and water conservation hub.
Assistant Cubmaster Christi Buffington asked the bunch what the dam was used for, to which six-year-old Daniel Leas replied, “Electricity!”
Scouts cleaned up trash along the sides of the Overlook path on their ascent back up the steps, before enjoying a much-deserved water bottle and snack break at the summit.
The group finished out the day with a trip to the transfer station, where they weighed, separated from garbage, and recorded data on recyclables they had recently gathered at a school recycling drive.
“The objective of trips like this is to get the kids outside, but also the boys need to be citizens in their community and learns what that means for them,” Buffington said.
See the April 30 issue of the Leader for more information.