Friends of VINP Hosting Earth Day 2010 Events Today

The Virgin Islands National Park and Friends of VINP are excited to announce this year’s Earth Day events, which include the 2010 Earth Day Environmental Fair on Friday, April 23.

This year the fair will be hosted once again at the VINP ball field in Cruz Bay from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This year Friends is also hosting a marine component to the Earth Day Fair called Reef Fest, on Saturday April 24.

Reef Fest will coincide with the 40th Anniversary of the Earth Day celebration as St. John youth and their families spend an educational fun day at Hawksnest Beach from noon to 5 p.m.

Friends’ goal in hosting both events is to educate, inform and inspire V.I. youth and the community on the importance of preserving and protecting the environment. Both events are free and open to the public and all St. John schools are invited.

Last year more than 700 St. John students attended the Earth Day Fair and Friends anticipates more than 200 participants at Reef Fest.

Island-wide beach clean-ups will also be happening throughout the week. Participants of the Friends’ Adopt-

A-Beach/Trail program are asked to remove debris from their adopted beach/trail as part of the island-wide cleanup. The Adopt-A-Beach/Trail program encourages volunteer groups to adopt a site and become responsible for keeping it clean.

Volunteers are needed to help make these events successful. Those interested in volunteering for Earth Day or Reef Fest should contact Audrey Penn at 779-4940.