The Kutztown Borough Environmental Advisory Commission hosted its first Rain Barrel Workshop on April 27 at Kutztown Elementary, led by Kate Harms, founder of Start Your Change.
Harms has had plenty of experience building rain barrels for events hosted by her own EAC in Longswamp Township.
Attendees received information on rain barrels and their care and maintenance in a presentation that kicked off the day. The event then moved outdoors where Harms demonstrated how to prepare a barrel for its conversion. Finally, attendees received their own pre-drilled 55-gallon food-grade barrels and the necessary hardware and set to work.
One special rain barrel was donated to the Kutztown Elementary School by Harms and the EAC for the school’s student garden. Last year, Steven and Lisa Schnell were recognized for their work leading the Garden Committee when they received the Kutztown Borough EAC’s Environmental Stewardship Award. KES students turned the plain white barrel into a work of art prior to the workshop.
The event brought to a close the Kutztown EAC’s celebration of Earth Day that began earlier in the week when the group co-sponsored a screening of Cape Spin with a number of KU organizations. The film’s director, Robbie Gemmel, was on hand to participate in a panel discussion following the film that included representatives of the EAC, the KU Environmental Action Club, Model U.N., and Geographical Society, as well as some members of the faculty.
