VALLEY — Children taking part in a special Bradshaw-Chambers County Library story time event on Monday heard a presentation from Valley Tree Board President Suzie Britt on the importance of trees to the environment. She talked to them about the importance of replanting trees and read to them from Diane DeGroat’s “Ants in Your Pants, Worms in Your Plants, Gilbert Goes Green.” They completed the hour-long program with a craft session under the direction of Jade Letson.

They outlined their hands on a clean sheet of paper, cut it out and taped over it an image of the earth. Inside it was a red heart with the message: “I can take care of the earth with my own two hands!”

The children colored the oceans blue and the continents green on their earth cutouts.

Britt got everyone in the mood of celebrating Earth Day by wearing a green hat with small plastic trees all over it.

Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22. Around the world, various events are held to illustrate the importance of protecting the environment. First celebrated in the U.S. in 1970, Earth Day now includes events in more than 190 countries and is coordinated globally by an Earth Day network. The concept of Earth Day was first advocated at a United Nations conference in San Francisco in 1969. The first celebration took place on March 21, 1970, the first day of spring.