The Middlesboro Parks and Recreations committee met to discuss various seasonal happenings last week. Topics of special interest included the Boy Scouts involvement with the upcoming Earth Day. The mobile Vietnam Wall’s soon arrival was also talked about.

Although plans aren’t completely set in stone, the local branch of Boy Scouts is pledging their assistance in helping Middlesboro observe Earth Day. Local Boy Scouts want to pitch in with recycling efforts and are volunteering their services for a one day event. This idea will be discussed more formally at the city council’s next meeting.

If the Boy Scouts recycle/trash pickup is approved, more specific details and announcements will soon follow. Earth Day is annually observed on April 22. Boy Scouts might participate locally on the Saturday before Earth Day.

Earth Day’s roots go back to 1970 when our nations grassroots protests of an unpopular war began to shift toward environmental dangers. Much of this energy was fueled by Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring, an alarming book that came out in 1962. This book sold more than 500,000 copies and reached into many countries. People were starting to become aware of environmental needs and concerned over possible hazards.

Shortly thereafter, politicians from both Democrat and Republican parties began to align themselves to make an environmental difference. Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin is credited with being Earth Day’s founder.

Local Boy Scouts might recapture the focuses of Earth Day 1990 when the movement went global. Efforts then were really beginning to take stride as 200 million people participated, including 141 countries. Recycling, at that time, was the primary mission. Now, local Boy Scouts are pushing for this same effort and focus as we approach Earth Day 2013.

The Parks and Recreation department then spoke of the soon-coming mobile Vietnam Wall. Earth Day and the Vietnam War come from the same period of time, and both may be properly recognized within the community during the days to come.

The moving-wall is a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall permanently located in Washington, DC. The Moving-Wall has toured the U.S. for more than 20 years now. The Moving-Wall was an idea to give Americans the opportunity to experience this important memorial even if they are unable to travel to Washington. There are now two structures of the Moving-Wall that travel the country. The wall usually stays at each site for nearly a week. Exact dates, times and location of the wall will be forthcoming.

Middlesboro is slated to be an upcoming stop for this treasured memorial. The wall’s stop here isn’t random. Sponsoring the wall usually requires months of planning by numbers of officials and volunteers. Bill Kelley, Middlesboro’s mayor, is honored that the greater Middlesboro region will be able to host the Moving-Wall.

Reach Michael Pippin at 606-248-1010, ext. 204