April 22^nd, 2020 marked the 50^th celebration of Earth Day.

This environmental movement began in 1970, encouraging people worldwide to take better care of the world around them.

At the Macksville City Library we have recognized this holiday & the importance of outdoor activities for many years. 

Wanting to promote a little normalcy in this time of uncertainty & isolation, Library staff & board members distributed Earth Day packets to kids & adults in front of the library. Packets included sidewalk chalk, an Earth Day BINGO card, & pre-packaged fruit snacks, provided by the library. Stutzmans Greenhouse generously donated five flats of flowers for the event, & each person received two plants in a baggie. (Petunias, Vincas, & Verbenas- ready to thrive in full sun)

To abide by Governor Kelly’s executive order, participants at this curbside outdoor activity practiced social distancing & abided by the 10-person limitation on gathering size. Helpers also wore gloves & masks. The event was held during the time local school kids picked up their school lunches at the school. Packets were also handed out to people walking for exercise or on their way to the Post Office. 46 children and 22 adults picked up packets at the library, while an additional 21 packets were given to bank & city workers, neighbors, and friends.

In ways, this year’s event was a little less about Earth Day & a lot more about Hope. The BINGO card encouraged recipients to wash hands, use social distancing, and to thank first responders with sidewalk chalk art. The goal of the packets and plants was to help further ‘at home’ learning and to spread a positive message during this difficult time. One participant met the challenge and earned prizes for memorizing a quote from the library’s post about the event: “The earth is a fine place and worth fighting for.” – Ernest Hemingway

Though the Library building is currently closed due to the Stay At Home order, we are still serving our community online with local links, Macksville history, online books and games, plus a special “Staying Home?” tab with newly added resources for all ages. Keep checking our site to see updates on local happenings plus news about our upcoming, modified Summer Reading program.