Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens celebrated Earth Day at the Catholic Charities Queens Community Center in Astoria with more than 150 guests. Co-sponsored by Fidelis Care New York, this fifth-annual celebration featured the themes “Under the Sea” and “Planet Earth.”
There were many fun activities for families to enjoy. The Under the Sea room included stations such as the Lagoon Fishing game, teaching kids not to pollute our waters; Fish Crafts, which used recycled waters bottles, food coloring and oil to teach participants how oil spills affect water and animals; and the Bean Bag Toss. We also has a special guest, Flipper, swimming in our Lagoon. The dolphin was very popular with the families. Goldfish crackers were enjoyed by all who entered.
In the Planet Earth room, families learned all about planting. They used baseball card holders, seeds, dirt and suction cups to create a hanging garden display. The children planted many useful vegetable and spices including peppers, cucumbers, beans, cilantro, oregano, radishes, turnips, carrots, tomatoes, and jalapenos. Instructions were given on how to care for the plants at home so they can continue to plant their own food. Another station was the Dough Table. Participants mixed regular household items, such as flour, oil, water, salt, and food coloring to create non-toxic dough that can be molded, shaped and reused. Lastly, everyone enjoyed stopping by the edible bird’s nest where they picked up a few facts about birds while enjoying the delicious nest made of crunchy noodles, chocolate and candy eggs. Another popular table, especially for the parents, was our living plant display. Participants learned about different ways to propagate by cuttings, and how to recycle containers to use for flower pots. Never throw out that onion or potato that has sprouted in your refrigerator; it can be planted so you can grow more.
For a photo gallery of the event, please click here.
For our older kids, there was an animal scavenger hunt for interesting facts about animals and their habitats. Clues were placed around the Community Center and the participants had to answer questions on a fact sheet.
As kids visited each station, they received a stamp upon successful completion of the activity. In the end, everyone received a certificate of participation and were then able to hunt through the garbage (shredded papers) for a prize.
Fidelis Care NY was on hand to assist with information on low cost, no cost health insurance and gave away delicious apples and oranges.
Earth Day is always a reminder to take care of planet Earth. Children and parents explored ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Families were challenged to take the Shower Contest … Can you do it?
Practice saving water by setting a timer when you take a shower.
Turn it into a family competition to see who can take a shower in less than five minutes.
keep the timer in the bathroom to remind everyone about this good habit.
How much water is used in the average ten-minute shower?
35- 40 gallons
How much water is used in the average five-minute shower?
15-25 gallons
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