Great River Energy celebrates Earth Day at Como Zoo 5K Run/Walk
Elk River, MN (April 19, 2000) - Celebrate Earth Day by putting on your walking shoes! Great River Energy, a corporate sponsor of the Como Zoo and Conservatory Earth Day 5K run or walk on Saturday, April 22, urges the community to celebrate Earth Day through this event.
The race will start and finish at the Como Zoo. Great River Energy, an electric cooperative headquartered in Elk River, Minnesota and serving 29 distribution cooperatives, will also be one of many companies with a display at an Earth Day Expo, taking place from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on the Zoo grounds under the picnic pavilion. The Expo features earth friendly displays and exhibits, including a giant "I Pledge" conservation board, an Earth Day puppet show and a Small Wonders of the Rain Forest exhibit.
Great River's display will feature its Wellspring Project-a consumer-driven program to build wind energy in southwestern Minnesota. Great River Energy built its first wind turbines near Chandler in 1998. Phase 2 of the project will be launched this year when distribution cooperatives across the state give their consumers the opportunity to purchase 100 kilowatt-hour blocks of wind energy at a small additional cost. The Phase 2 turbines should be installed by the end of the year, producing electricity by early 2001.
Fees for the Earth Day 5K are free for children under 5; $10 for children 6-12; and $20 for adults. Each participant receives a T-shirt commemorating the event. For more information call the Como Zoo and Conservatory at 651-645-1014.
Great River Energy is a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative providing electric energy and related services to 29 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin. It is Minnesota's second largest utility in terms of generation capacity. Great River Energy is a Touchstone Energy cooperative.
