Adults warned visitors they could get messy at the Flinthills Mall this week.
Students from The Learning Center and from Village Elementary School have been helping mall merchants and management build a 9-foot papier mache replica of the planet Earth as part of the mall’s “Ecomania,” to celebrate Earth Day on April 25.
“It is a big mess, but it’s a lot of fun. We’ve had a good time working on it,” said Lydia Cope, the mall’s marketing and administrative assistant. “We’re also inviting anybody in the community to come help with it.”
Cope said that the idea for the project came from her boss, Jose Feliciano. They began with a giant, heavy-duty 8-foot in diameter balloon, which popped early into the project.
“So then we went to Plan B and we constructed a frame out of PVC pipe and chicken wire,” Cope said.
Green Door Recycling has donated all of the newspaper needed for the papier mache, and the public is invited to donate flour or glue to help complete the massive project.
The replica of the planet is only one facet of the Ecomania celebration.
An assortment of organizations, businesses and groups from around the area will set up information booths to educate the public, from children through adults, about recycling, organic products and foods, and conservation.
A cardboard drive also is planned that day.
“We’re challenging Emporia to see how much cardboard we can bring in that one day,” Cope said.
Contests also are going on through the schools in this area, with competitions in T-shirt design, poster design, and an Earth Day photo contest.
“We’re also doing a recycled sculpture contest so people can build something out of recyclables,” she said.
“We’re doing it to spread awareness and education to the community. We know that there are a lot of other events in Emporia that revolve around Earth Day. … We wanted to get one big event where everyone can come to it.”
More information about the event and contests and helping with the papier mache project may be had by calling Cope at 342-4631.
Ecomania is sponsored by KVOE, Green Door Recycling and the Flinthills Mall, with cooperation from mall merchants and other businesses. Sponsorships are still being accepted.