The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

The 9th Annual Earth Day Celebration will be held this Friday, April 20, at the Nespelem powwow grounds, with an expected 1,500 attendees and over 55 information booths that include interactive activities and free items.

Running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the event is free to the public and will include traditional drumming, dancing, a free barbecue picnic lunch, and raffle items, including energy-efficient appliances and items that encourage folks to enjoy the great outdoors.

Booths at the event will teach those attending about recycling, pollution, plant life, fire safety, and more.

One booth of interest will be a drone presentation by M3 Consulting Group, based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Colville tribal member Nathan Moses will be joined by colleagues in demonstrating a small drone, as well as showing youth that there are cool careers centered around such unmanned aerial vehicle technology, and advocating for technologies that are better for the environment. “Careers in this can be a lot of fun,” Moses said.

“The Colville Tribes Earth Day Committee depends on a commitment from our Tribal Programs, surrounding communities, including local schools, businesses, and vendors to share knowledge on how to become good stewards to the environment,” a notice from the Earth Day Committee says. “This task is serious as we face issues of climate change including devastation to natural resources while providing protection to wildlife. It is a responsibility we all must share as we find ways to resolve these issues and make changes in our lives to lessen the impact to the environment.”

The Colville Tribes Earth Day Committee is composed of Joaquin Bustamante and Steven Wynecoop, from Colville Tribal Recycling; and Kathy Moses and Shelly Clark, from the Colville Tribes’ Environmental Trust program.