MANSFIELD — Thursday’s showers confirmed the Earth Stewardship Steering Committee’s notion that the Earth Stewardship Celebration should run longer than one day.
The group had planned a litter cleanup in downtown Mansfield on Thursday but had to cancel that project because of the rainy weather.
Fortunately, there are plenty of other cleanup and beautification opportunities during the two-month Earth Stewardship Celebration this April and May.
Kim Hildreth, project coordinator, said when the first Earth Stewardship celebration was held 20 years ago, it started out as a one-month event.
“And then we recognized that people really wanted to do some flower planting and we offer Operation Clean Sweep in May, so we decided to turn it into a two-month event, especially since we know April doesn’t always have the best weather,” she said.
Over the past 20 years, over 38,500 volunteers have devoted their time and energy to approximately 1,062 projects that have taken place in Richland County as part of the Earth Stewardship Celebration.
The annual celebration invites area groups to conduct a project during the months of April and May to commemorate Earth Day, Arbor Day, and Soil Stewardship Week.
“What we’re asking people to do is be good stewards of our earth and be good stewards of our community,” she said.
Members of the Earth Stewardship Steering Committee include the City of Mansfield, Downtown Mansfield, Inc. Friends of Mansfield Parks, Little Buckeye Children’s Museum, North End Community Improvement Collaborative, OSU Extension, Richland Area Chamber of Commerce, Richland County Regional Solid Waste Management Authority, Richland Public Health and the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District.
Hildreth is proud to see the many hands involved in helping make this celebration a success.
“This is truly a very unique partnership,” she said. “Over time, we’ve had changes in the commissioners, changes in the city administration, at OSU, the list goes on and on, but everybody still believes this is a very important thing for our community and throughout those changes in administrations, people have continued to partner together.”
“We are really pleased to be partners,” said Jodie Perry, president of the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce. “This is our first year joining on board.”
The chamber has been kicking around an idea dubbed “the curb appeal award” that is meant to encourage businesses to help spruce up the area.
The award will be given to a county business that does a good job of maintaining their property and landscaping through beautification efforts. Perry said the award will be given on a monthly basis.
“We just hope that this encourages businesses to clean up and take good care of their properties,” she said.
Mansfield Mayor Tim Theaker and Richland County Commissioner Gary Utt read a proclamation declaring April and May as Earth Stewardship months in Richland County.
Citizens are encouraged to join this earth stewardship celebration by participating in a litter clean up, tree planting, beautification project, recycling drive or community garden project. To register a project, contact the Earth Stewardship Steering Committee at 419-755-9702.
