EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- As the beautiful Spring weather draws people outside, this is also the perfect time for people everywhere to renew their commitment to better the environment. Earth Day is April 22, but Eglin has events throughout the month.
“We have a number of opportunities for the Eglin community to get involved and make a difference this Earth Day,” said Brian Kelly, Eglin Earth Day coordinator.
Of the events, volunteers are still needed to help clean up illegal dump sites on the Eglin reservation.
“We’re looking for volunteers to help us clean up seven or eight sites April 20, and then we’ll follow that up with a barbecue lunch for all the volunteers,” said Erica Laine, Eglin Natural Resources Management volunteer coordinator and wildlife biologist.
According to Laine, a team of nine volunteers helped rehabilitate a 16-acre gopher tortoise pen used to house tortoises native to Eglin April 10th.
On April 19, Eglin’s Recycling Center will have a display at the Base Exchange and will team with the ‘Emerald Coast Bag Ladies’ to collect plastic bags to be reused into sleeping mats for area homeless.
An Earth Day golf tournament will also be held April 19 at the Eglin Golf Course from noon to 4 p.m.
To register for the volunteer clean-up project, contact Erica Laine at (850) 883-1192. For those interested in participating in the golf event, contact Ron Hickman at (850) 882-1805.