4th Annual Kinnelon Conserves Earth Day Fair Success!

Were you there? Did you take part in the 4th Annual Kinnelon Conserves Earth Day 2010 Fair at Pearl Miller School? We did and had a blast. I invited Kinnelon Conserves' Avery Hart to share highlights from the event.

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Kinnelon Conserves would like to thank the community for its participation and assistance in making our 4th Annual Earth Day Fair at Pearl R. Miller School another success. The fair was attended by over 350 visitors who were treated to an array of up-to-date, cutting edge, eco-displays and information.

Fair-goers were met with a bonanza of scientific information, creative interpretations and artistic displays created by students from local schools, including Our Lady of the Magnificat Catholic School, and representing the public schools, Kinnelon’s Director of Technology & Curriculum Science, Smoke Rise resident Noreen LaFergola, working with Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Diane DiGiuseppe, to assure full student participation.

Pearl R. Miller School Principal Mark Mongon welcomed a swarm of grassroots volunteers into his school with a smile, and maintenance staff member Danny Pregenzer did an efficient job setting up and breaking down the event.

Over 40 business and civic entities were represented, including from the Kinnelon Public Library, NJ Highlands Coalition, and NJ Native Plant Society to home energy companies, natural health products, makers of biodegradable toys and handbags constructed from recycled gum wrappers. Local beekeepers Don and Allison Lynch and about 1000 of their furry flying friends convinced attendees to appreciate the place of bees in our human lives.

Montville’s Sue Marinello, AKA“The Water Lady” fascinated fair goers with her knowledge of water issues.

A Kinnelon Conserves generated exhibit, “Read the Fine Print” provided attendees with magnifying glasses so that they could identify (and avoid) potentially toxic ingredients that lurk in everyday products, a long list of which was posted on the gym wall.

Student clubs and Girl Scout troop #1308 created and ran interactive activities and lent plenty of energy and muscle to the Fair’s success. KHS senior, Matt Vail, managed all the road signs and also made sure that bins were provided for the Adopt-A-Family used sneaker collection that benefits those without shoes in Africa.

Kinnelon resident Vic Oburg once again proudly displayed his "Smart Car” for all to see, and several Dept of Public Workers were on hand to chat with residents about local environmental and recycling concerns. A large number of non-profit exhibitors heightened awareness of the important roles we all play in protecting the natural environment.

Local guitarist Tony Christopher serenaded attendees with song as they took in displays of nature photography, demonstrations of martial arts, and viewed animation, The Story of Stuff.

The Fair offered a wide array of products and services all designed to demonstrate to attendees how to live more lightly on the earth. Fair-goers enjoyed locally-made organic cheese, bread, cakes and cookies. They sniffed aromatic organic soaps, bought wooden products crafted from fallen Kinnelon trees, and had a chance to examine solar panels and insulation close up. They were exposed to alternatives to toxic garden and lawn products, offered green ideas for home remodeling, and a chance to sign petitions.

The most popular petition by far was one signed in support of a public Kinnelon Borough Community Garden.

People with smiling faces ended their afternoon at the Fair by taking home the free perennial plants they’d potted themselves, some sample products, plus lots of ideas for protecting the earth that sustains us.

Special thanks to these organizations which contributed and exhibited during the 4th Annual Kinnelon Conserves Earth Day Fair:

Adopt a Family Program
Plant Health Alternatives
Toys Camp
Eberhard’s Recycled Wood: 973-838-7691
Young Living with Avery
Berrios Creative Crochet
Paul K Tiajoloff, Architect LLC: 973-402-0277(O)
PNC Bank
Solar Living Inc.(CapturetheSun.com)
Glenwild Garden Center
Natural Turf
Only Green
Jim’s Organic Coffee
The Awarenest
Tony Christopher
Harvest Morn Honey: 973-838-0964
Home Energy Matters
Finishing Touch Landscaping
Stone Cliff Cleaners
Tri-Boro Animal Welfare
Global Shade Tree Professionals
The Land Conservancy of NJ
Holistic Mom’s Network
Bobolink Dairy & Bakery
Bob’s Clocks: 973-838-6735
GiveAGreenBag
Designs by Eleanor
Shaklee
Ellie's Health Shoppe
Evergreen Healing Arts: 201-704-0823(cell)
Cipriano Landscape Design
Purple DragonRenewable Resource Systems: SteveT@renewableRS.com
Ross Solar Group: Josh@RossSolarGroup.com
Shop by Stella: Stel2000@aol.com
Traditional Okinowan Karate: mrmiller@tokarate.com

These organizations contributed, but weren't able to exhibit:

Samantha Peterson-Salvador, Barefoot Books: 732-787-1812
Joseph D’Aloisio, Shop to Earth: 973-728-3516

For information about joining Kinnelon Conserves, please call (973) 492-3404, go to www.kinnelonconserves.net or send email to kinnconserves@optonline.net.

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Thank you, Avery, and congratulations, Kinnelon Conserves on another successful Earth Day Fair!

A special thank you to "Red, the Tender Clown" for her magical face and arm paintings. Emma was enchanted with her cat.