Getting stuffed during the watermelon eating contest, like these two

By Mike Donahue

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Band of Paiutes is encouraging the public to come out and celebrate this year’s Earth Day with a series of activities scheduled to be held on the Moapa River Indian Reservation on Friday, April 22.

The activities start at 7:30 a.m. with a fun walk/run. The Social Services Department is hosting its Third Annual Child Abuse and Neglect Awareness Parade which is scheduled to kick off at 9 a.m.

A swap meet/fair will open at 8 a.m. near the administration building and provide an opportunity for networking with agencies and members throughout the reservation and other Moapa Valley communities, according to Dawn Bruce, tribal social services director.

A watermelon eating contest, the highlight of last year’s Earth Day activities, is also scheduled.

Other activities include a chili cook-off, cake sale, horseshoe contest, dunk tank, Easter egg hunt and a tug-of-war contest hosted by the Moapa Tribal Farm. A poster contest is scheduled and those interested in participating are urged to make and enter a poster with a solar power or anti-child neglect theme.

Friday’s events culminate a week of activities sponsored by several different tribal departments including the Department of Environmental Protection, the Housing Authority and the police department.

Additionally, agencies that have committed to attend the fair and set up booths to provide information and/or services include the Summerlin Lions Club which will provide free eye screening, the Cappalappa Family Resource Center, the Sierra Club, UNLV Adult Education Services, Moapa Vocational Rehabilitation, Las Vegas Independent Living, Clark County School District, the Bureau of Land Management, the Native American Education Coalition and others.

All attendees are invited to a free lunch at noon.