Earth Day: Small Steps That Make A Big Difference

Still trying to make plans for the holiday weekend? Don't worry, the city of Burlington has you covered. Fireworks begin at 9:30 pm, but food and activities kick off at 5 pm! Entertainment includes: @ Perkins Pier Root 7, 5 – 7 pm Mango Jam, 7:30 – 9:30 pm 98.9 WOKO, 99.9 The Buzz, KOOL 105, WJOY and WIZN, broadcasting, 5:30 – 9 pm @Waterfront Park Sambatucada!, 7 – 8 pm Star 92.9, 101.3 ESPN and Planet 96.7, broadcasting 4 – 9 pm with “Inflatable Family Fun Park” and cash cube Price Chopper Bounce House, 4 – 9 pm Face painting and Henna, 5 – 9 pm @Boathouse Kat Wright & The Indomitable Soul Band, 8 to 9:30pm and 10 – 11 pm Dan Marcotte Biplane Airshow, 8:30 – 8:45, in the sky over the harbor   @Battery Park Burlington Concert Band, 6 – 9 pm @North Beach Eagle Country 97.5, broadcasting 5 – 9 pm Also, check out the Local 44 Fireworks Spectacular! live on July 3rd from 9 to 10 pm on WFFF/Local 44 DO NOT BRING: pet or sparklers. Souvenirs sold at Waterfront Park, Battery Park, Perkins Pier. Food vendors at Waterfront Park, Perkins Pier, Battery Park, and North Beach.

From our fathers at Shearer VW to yours, we wish you a very happy and safe holiday weekend! The history of Father's Day On Sunday, July 5, 1908 the first event exclusively honoring fathers was held in West Virginia.  The ceremony was a Sunday sermon held in honor of the 386 men who had died in a mining accident the preceding December.  Sonora Smart Dodd attempted to establish a state-recognized Father's Day holiday by lobbying local YMCA's, churches, and other public gatherings.  Her efforts paid off as Washington held the inaugural state-recognized Father's Day in 1910.  Six years later, President Woodrow Wilson would institute the first nationally recognized Father's Day in 1916. How to Celebrate Father's Day While there are an infinite number of ways to honor your father, we have compiled a list to help inspire you... Remember that it's father day Wash and wax your dad's car Mow your dad's lawn Take your dad fishing on beautiful Lake Champlain Make your dad his favorite dinner Get along with your siblings Bring your dad to a local brewery to try some of the freshest flavors Take your dad paint balling Schedule a tee time for 18 holes of pure joy at a local golf course Purchase a massage for your dad Tell your dad the you love him.

Who started Earth Day? A peace activist in the San Francisco, California area named John McConnell proposed a day to honor the planet beginning in 1970; however, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin was inspired to take action and get the government officially involved in honoring our planet after the appalling oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. When a Union Oil platform had a blowout, nearly 100,000 barrels of oil were dumped into the Pacific Ocean. Thousands of marine animals died as a result, and the coastline was greatly impacted. With the assistance of Congressman Pete McCloskey and Denis Hayes from Harvard, Senator Nelson succeeded in making April 22, 1970 the first Earth Day, with the intention of teaching everyone about how to be more aware of our environment. 5 ways to drive more eco-friendly We all can play a role in protecting the environment by getting into certain habits each day, including while we are driving. Here is a quick list of eco-friendly driving habits to practice. Keep the tires inflated at the recommended pressure. Reduce excess weight and travel as lightly as possible. Carpool with others, if possible. Try to drive during off-hours if you can so you won’t be stuck in a traffic jam. Use cruise control on highways. Many of these habits amount to ensuring a higher fuel economy, which will also save you money in addition to helping the environment by not using up as much fuel. We only have one chance at this planet, so we have to keep it as clean as we can!