On January 19th the Savage River Watershed Association (SRWA), Georges Creek Watershed Association (GCWA), the City of Cumberland, Venturing Crew 202, and Americorps members from Frostburg State University (FSU) collaborated to host a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event at the 2^nd Baptist Church in Cumberland.  An official holiday since 1994, Martin Luther King Jr. Day honors and celebrates the life of MLK Jr. and encourages people to provide a day of service to their communities.  Volunteers of this event continued in his actions of service by educating youth about environmental issues and providing examples of how youth can become more environmentally conscious.

Coordinators of the event invited youth from the Meadow Mountain Youth Camp, Read to Succeed children, and other youth from schools around the greater Cumberland area to attend the event and learn something valuable and fun.  Although some presenters had to cancel due to illnesses and weather, the event was a success.  There were about 30 youth and 10 adults who attended the event, all of which learned something new, got a free lunch, and had a good time.

Throughout the day, youth were taught about issues pertaining to three major topics: energy conservation, recycling, and watershed/water conservation.  The youth were split into groups and moved about the day to each presenter who gave presentations, handed out ‘green goodies', and played activities that were both fun and educational.  Participants learned how they can help reduce their energy consumption, what the three R's are: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, what a watershed is and how to protect one.  Volunteers of the event wove into their education about environmental issues how Martin Luther King Jr. was a pioneer of environmental justice.  Participants learned how to become more aware about environmental issues that impact quality of life and how certain populations are unfairly exposed to environmental harms due to their low socio-economic status and race.

Teaching youth how to become more environmentally conscious and more sustainable is paramount today because they will be inheriting a crowded world of scarce resources, polluted environments, and changing conditions.  Starting youth early on a path of more ecological and social consciousness will only help improve the lives and environments of our world.  As Martin Luther King Jr. preached, a change is needed, and the change must come from us all.  Volunteers of this event provided examples of how to become more sustainable and lessen our impacts on the world we all share.  It was a day were youth from different backgrounds come together to share their appreciation for Martin Luther King Jr. and the messages he preached, as well as to learn about environmental issues, and to eat some free cake, too.

Kevin Devine, Watershed Coordinator

Savage River Watershed Association

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301.689.7156