Tree Planting and Award-Winning Movie at African American Museum
Cedar Rapids, Iowa – (October 21, 2009) Who would have imagined that planting a few trees could be a first step to winning the Nobel Peace Prize? Learn more about this amazing story and help plant a few trees yourself this Saturday, October 24, from 1:00 – 3:30 p.m. Both activities will occur at the African American Museum, 55 12th Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids.
A ceremonial tree planting event starting at 1:00 p.m. will be followed by a showing of Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai. The film showing is part of the 3rd Annual Cedar Rapids Area Environmental Film Festival. The event is free and open to the public.
The award-winning film, Taking Root, tells the dramatic story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai, whose simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights, and defend democracy – a movement for which this charismatic woman became an iconic inspiration.
Trees Forever is co-hosting this Environmental Film Festival event with the African American Museum. The trees being planted prior to the film showing are being provided through Trees Forever’s Recover, Replant & Restore program. Major funding for the Recover, Replant & Restore program comes from Van Meter Industrial, Sam’s Club, and other generous donors.
The mission of the Cedar Rapids Area Environmental Film Festival is to provide screenings of feature length and short movies on environmental topics for the Cedar Rapids public throughout the month of October each year. The power of film is used to educate, inspire and motivate the audience to act on environmental issues. Each film is coupled with an opportunity to hear or interact with an expert or advocate in open dialogue and discussion relating to the film’s topic. All Festival events are free and open to the public.
The Trees Forever Recover, Replant & Restore program was started last year as a response to the many natural disasters that ravaged Iowa in 2008. Funds from this program are directed at helping disaster-affected communities replant and repair trees and green space lost or damaged by the floods and tornados. The African American Museum was one of hundreds of buildings damaged when the Cedar River flooded Cedar Rapids last year.
For more information on the tree planting event or the Environmental Film Festival, please call (319) 373-0650, or log onto www.TreesForever.org. You can also search for “Cedar Rapids Area Environmental Film Festival” on facebook.
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Trees Forever is a nonprofit organization based in Marion, IA committed to planting trees, encouraging community involvement and stewardship, and caring for the environment. Programs focus on improving air and water quality, increasing wildlife habitat, providing substantial energy savings and beautifying our landscape. For more information visit www.treesforever.org or call 800-369-1269.