MADISON — St. Dennis Parish is hosting its second annual Earth Day celebration the weekend of April 27 to 28 with activities and exhibits designed to demonstrate how individuals and families can take steps to reduce their carbon footprint and conserve natural resources.
At the Earth Day event, which is open to the public, participants will be able to:
• Have their carbon footprint calculated by members of the St. Dennis Care for Creation team.
• Learn about the 66-panel solar electric system, installed in 2017 to generate electricity for Saint Dennis School.• Watch The Truth in Ten, a 10-minute video about climate change.
• Get an up-close look and obtain information about electric vehicles such as the Honda Clarity, Nissan Leaf, Chrysler Pacifica, Toyota Prius Prime, and others which will be on display;
• Speak with individuals who have had solar panels installed on their homes.
• Receive up-to-date information about recycling and composting.
• Sign a pledge card making a commitment to at least one “Care for the Earth” action to conserve energy or other natural resources.
Activities and displays will be in the church fellowship area after the 4 p.m. Mass on Saturday, April 27, and from approximately 8:15 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 28.
Everyone signing a pledge or having their carbon footprint completed will receive a raffle ticket for prize drawings.
The Earth Day celebration is sponsored by the St. Dennis Care for Creation team, formed in December 2014 in response to Catholic social teaching about caring for God’s handiwork.
The group’s mission was reinforced by Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home, issued in 2015. The long-term goal is for St. Dennis to become a carbon neutral parish.
St. Dennis Church is located at 413 Dempsey Rd. on Madison’s east side.