When Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin proposed federal legislation in 1969 that resulted in the first officially declared Earth Day April 22, 1970 he had no idea how widespread, how fun and how educationally sound that day . . . and the week, would become. This is especially true for Westminster College.

That first Earth Day was, indeed, celebrated on campus by students, faculty and staff cleaning up the margins of Brittain Lake. Truckloads of junk, mostly glass bottles and cans, came out by rake and effort (there were none of those ubiquitous plastic bottles at that time). There was a certain satisfaction in accomplishing an environmental friendly, a.k.a. green, task (although those expressions weren't yet in vogue).

Each year, and some years more diverse and intense than others, I've watched and participated in Earth Day/Week activities. Two years ago we planted over 300 trees in the Offutt Microforest as a living memorial to Sandy Edmiston and last year we planted seedlings in our Nursery as memorials to those who died in the tragic massacre at Virginia Tech. This year, April 20 to 26, marked a high and happy week of green activity on the main campus and at the Field Station. Three first-ever events came on strong: Sunday evening's Vespers at the Sandy Edmiston Labyrinth, Wednesday evening's tree planting/poetry reading with a bonfire and Saturday morning's 5K run/walk.

Vespers, Westminster's traditional Sunday evensong planned by Chaplain Jim Mohr, waffled between outside and inside. Fortunately, the weather cooperated and the original plan to sit on grass, rocks, stumps and chairs around the Labyrinth held. Music by the Praise Band and Gospel Choir, readings from the Bible and Dr. Seuss, prayers as well as a meditation helped generate an earth-empowered spirit, one that blessed the end of the day.

Planting trees is a traditional sign of spring and generates interest by children and adults. Hemlocks (Pennsylvania's state tree donated by Peggy Cox), redbud and rhododendron were planted at specific sites to enhance the ambiance of the Field Station. Children made this happen after college students dug the holes. Compost generated at the Field Station was an essential ingredient in the planting process. After that, a time around the bonfire toasting (or incinerating) marshmallows, reading poetry and simply sitting at the edge of the embers made for a relaxing and reflective time that, for some students, continued until almost midnight.

Tree planting compared with the prior two years was minimal in 2008. The season, however, is not over. Two groups still scheduled to come in May and manage the planting of seedlings in the Nursery of the Field Station are the Lawrence County Head Start School and a group of Cub Scouts from Conneaut Lake. Trees and tree planting will always be our trademark for Earth Week and Arbor Day.

The most energy of the three main events at the Field Station was generated and released in the 5K run/walk organized and sponsored by the Sierra Student Coalition club at Westminster. Hours of planning and orchestrating the sequence of events and soliciting prizes as giveaways could not have happened without huge amounts of time and effort. Leanna Stitt, president of SSC, and her club had help but eventually shouldered the mounds of responsibility that had to precede and follow the 5K.

For those not easily tuned to metric units, 5K represents 5,000 meters or 3.1 miles. Over 100 participants registered and most of them completed the course that began in the green grass by the Field House. The skein of runners and walkers stretched south around Brittain Lake. They joined the Lucile Frey Nature Trail, continued past the Labyrinth and compost windrows, then looped back to Brittain Lake and to the point of beginning. About two dozen SSC members and friends helped lay out the course, manage the registrations, sell goodies and time the race. The top speed runners were Christina Valentine (1st place overall female) and Will Delair and Nathan Hunter (first place overall males). But speed was not the only characteristic on trial. Endurance and persistence prevailed. The youngest child to complete the course was Joram Caylor, age 4. Prizes were awarded from 11 area businesses and groups; some prizes by drawing, others for skill. Fresh fruit and plenty of liquids were available to the participants. Proceeds from this event were designated by SSC to go to special projects in the future of the Field Station. These include landscaping and planting in the yard and a likely environmental camp for children in the summer of 2009. What a wonderful tradition for Earth Week.

There ought to be no question about the fate of the banana and orange peels or the paper cups that were residues of the tired and happy runners or walkers after the 5K. They are being composted and will possibly greet next year 's 5K Earth Week participants as they run the course through the Field Station.

Without doubt, the Earth Week programming at the Field Station in 2008 continued a trend that, in the past three years, is clearly changing a facility from a science-based place to one that belongs to everyone at the college and community. This is how it should be. The evening Vespers and the 5K run past the Labyrinth, the planted hemlocks and the compost rows that are recycling college and community waste and the reading of earth-related poetry were all ways to help everyone who participated know what we do and who we are as a Field Station. Our signature statement, on a plaque in the front yard near the Nature Center, expresses our mission: "If all is right within you, if you have enthusiasm, if you have curiosity, if you take it all as a great adventure, just see what you can do about it while you are here" -- Mardy Murie.

Clarence Harms, Director
Field Station

Vespers at Edmiston Memorial Labyrinth

Gospel Choir at Vespers

CHildren planting hemlocks

Bonfire

5K runners at the Labyrinth