College Democrats Celebrate Earth Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Anna Benson (anna.benson@maryvillecollege.edu)

April 18, 2005

(Maryville, TN)--This week the Maryville College Democrats will take part in a celebration of Earth Day and work toward improving the streams of Blount County.

“Our environment is something that we should individually look after and care for,” said College Democrat President Alex Youn. “It is our responsibility to stand up and protect our environment for future generations if this current administration will not.”

Leading up to a week worth of discussion on the environment, their will be an outdoor festival on the Pearsons Hall lawn sponsored by the College’s Environmental Action Team (EAT), a group of students with the common bond of concern for the environment. The event will feature music, organic food, an environmental speaker, displays and “Environmental Jeopardy,” a take-off of the television game show.

Earth Day will kick off with an introduction by guest speaker Chris Irwin of the organization Food Not Bombs of Knoxville. Food Not Bombs is a global movement that began in Boston in the early 1980s. The Knoxville organization, which provides free organically grown vegetarian meals to the hungry and homeless in Knoxville once per week, became active in 1995.

Following Irwin’s introduction, acoustical music by Maryville College student Chris Shibley and friends will continue until 3 p.m. at which time the Christian hip hop band Scratchtrack will take the stage. Scratchtrack’s appearance is being sponsored by the College’s Student Programming Board.

On Saturday, April 23^rd, the College Democrats will be participating in the Little River Round Up, an annual event to help protect, preserve and enhance the Little River—a Blount County Treasure. Starting at 8:00am, there will be a variety of volunteer opportunities to help clean up the Little River. The evening will be surrounded by the sounds of bluegrass music from Jay Clark and the CC String Band, while home cooked barbeque is served.

For more information on activates of the Maryville College Democrats during Earth Day week, please contact Anna Benson at anna.benson@maryvillecollege.edu.

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