By Joel Frady

Items like old plastic bottles, soda cans and paper towel rolls may seem like useless trash to some people, but the organizers of Spring Fest 2009 hope to illustrate that another man’s junk might have a use after all.

With the slogan “Re-cycle, re-claim, re-use,” the annual arts event will feature three dozen arts activities using “found” materials on Saturday, April 4, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the West Jefferson School.

“It’s a one-day celebration of the arts designed for young people in Ashe County,” said Jane Lonon, executive director of the Ashe County Arts Council. “It’s for all ages, including the young at heart. What we provide is a day with hands-on arts and crafts activities and continuous entertainment on the stage through a student talent show.” The event will also feature a student art show with entries from local schools, roving entertainers, such as a magician and a juggler, and a petting zoo with animals like donkeys, miniature ponies and sheep.
Lonon said there will be more than three dozen arts and crafts stations set up with “creative art projects for kids to provide the experience of learning a new art form, having instruction from trained people and being able to create things out of stuff that otherwise ends up in the trash can.” The activities will range from making pottery, jewelry or paper to painting or sculpting.

Lonon added that they hope the students will understand “the significance and importance of being good stewards of our earth and this place where we live.

Pat Morrison, an arts teacher at Ashe County High School who helps organize the event, said that she likes the recycling theme because it’s important to her.

“I’ve always felt like it’s a necessity for everybody to recycle,” she said. “It’s sad to see people throwing so much away that could be recycled.” She noted that the event will be “a different way of recycling, more fun, and it proves you can reuse or recycle just about anything.”

Morrison said that it’s also a good opportunity for her students to give back to the community. Her students have been making their own art out of recycled materials this week, crafting items like guitars and turtles, to prepare for Spring Fest 2009.

“I have my classes do the activities, and it makes a real impact on them,” said Morrison. “I like for my kids to give back to the community in some way, and to see how important that is. Some students I had when we first started this tell me that was their favorite thing, that’s the one thing they remember.”

Morrison added that she enjoys the reunion aspect of the event when former students bring their children.

“It’s neat when they come back, because they remember helping with it when they were in high school or coming when they were little,” she said.

Aside from the message, however, Morrison said that the event will be feature lots of activities, creativity and movement that is “just a fun time with a lot going on.”

Lonon noted that organizers are still looking for volunteers to help run the event.

Admission to Spring Fest 2009 is free of charge, though concessions will be available. They will also allow students to create their own t-shirt with the Spring Fest 2009 logo. Students can bring their own t-shirt and add the logo for free, or pay $3 for a shirt at the event.

Anyone interested in finding out more about Spring Fest 2009, or volunteering, can contact the Ashe County Arts Council at (336) 846-2787 or click to www.ashecountyart.org.