MSJ Hosts Earth Day Event and Fundraiser for Afghan Children

On Wednesday the College of Mount St. Joseph (MSJ) in Delhi, Ohio held a special event to mark Earth Day. The Green Campus student environmental group hosted an exhibit and fundraiser. Included was a display about the new Hillside Community Garden located behind the Mount.

Claire Perry, an MSJ student who works on the garden, said this year will be mostly spent preparing the land for upcoming growing of foods. The garden is a joint project of MSJ and the Delhi community with a stated mission of "growing healthy food, providing education about organic edible gardening, and providing a safe gathering space." Amy Stross of Delhi is the coordinator of the Community Garden.

In addition, other displays of local environmental activities included the Western Wildlife Corridor. A frisbee throw highlighted fundraising events which benefited the Hillside Garden, as well as relief for children in war-torn Afghanistan. Green club president Kristen Dwyer and Treasurer Cece Ricks hosted displays about their campus group as well as collecting proceeds for the fundraiser.

Part of the proceeds will go to help children suffering in Afghanistan. According to the charity Save the Children, "one in four Afghans dies before their fifth birthday, many of easily preventable causes." There is a shortage currently of supplementary plumpy which can save children from dangerous malnutrition.The UN World Food Programme, which is facing a 257 million dollar shortfall for its relief operation in Afghanistan, says 7.3 million people in the country are food insecure, with another 5.4 million at risk. The Aschiana Foundation, which will benefit from the MSJ fundraiser, says there are 600,000 street children in the country who are forced to work and beg to support their families. Aschiana, which provides food and tutoring for the street children, recently reported that two of its child centers in Kabul had run out of food. Without this food the children, and the future of their country, do not have a chance.

The displays at the event, especially the hillside garden, relate closely to work Catholic Relief Services and other charities are doing to help Afghans improve their agricultural capability.

The Earth Day event also included special animal visitors including a barn owl which stole the show, figuratively. The frisbee throw winners were Mount students Kyle McLaughlin and Zach Thomas. Professor William Lonneman was the faculty coordinator for the event.