SEBASTIAN — A few hundred people braved the uncertain weather to take part in Sebastian’s sixth annual Earth Day Festival and joint Arbor Day observance at Riverview Park Saturday. Though the cloudy skies threatened to open up in a deluge, the rain held off. The wind, however, kept many of the organization’s volunteers busy holding the frames of their tents lest they below away.
“It still actually is a good one,” Robin Graves said of this year’s celebration, despite the weather and wind. Graves is the chair of the Sebastian Natural Resources Board, which organizes the annual event.
“We’re about educating the public,” she said. “There is no ‘B’ planet” – as in Plan B. “We need to take care of her.
Among the visitors to Riverview Park Saturday morning was 11-year-old Jaquan Pledger. Pledger showed up early to be a part of the Kids Hooked on Fishing program.
“I like fishing,” Pledger said, noting that he was going home with a new fishing pole, a box of fishing tackle and other related gear.
He wasn’t able to catch anything in the lagoon – “too windy,” he said by way of explanation.
Pledger said one of the biggest lessons he learned was to be sure to look behind him before casting his line so as to not accidently hook someone.
Pledger was accompanied by Tommy Bruhn, of the Exchange Club, who served as a host and sponsor.
“We’re having fun,” Bruhn said. Both he and Pledger were first time visitors to the Earth Day Festival.
Bruhn said he was picking up tips on conservation while at the event.
Graves said the city needs to work on replacing the septic systems with sewer and encourage commercial recycling in order to become more earth friendly.
“Those are the goals,” she said.
The Natural Resources Board has also been working to educate the public on the proper ways to care for their lawns, cutting back on the use of certain fertilizers to help lessen pollution that spills into the Indian River Lagoon.
The Sebastian Earth Day Festival was sponsored this year in part by Home Depot, Sounds Good Inc., and Shady Grove Nursery.
The Natural Resources Board is planning two island cleanups in the near future – one in May and another in June in advance of the Fourth of July. Anyone interested in volunteering for the cleanups is encouraged to email Robin Graves at mugwort2u@yahoo.com.
