Today, Wednesday, April 22, is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

Back on that first day honoring Mother Earth, people weren’t sure what the future of the world might be. But celebrations were held internationally and, 50 years later, the celebration continues. Fountain Hills will celebrate virtually.

The Fountain Hills Virtual Earth Day event is sponsored by fountainhillslive.com.

Lisa Ristuccia and Vicky Derkson have organized the event, pulling together a variety of local organizations and individuals to participate.

“We had originally planned on hosting a large festival for the community in honor of Earth Day at Fountain Hills Charter School,” said Rusticcia, who is a board member for the Arizona Association for Environmental Education, Keep Scottsdale Beautiful and the Flying Flowers Butterfly Garden. “But we needed to change to a virtual celebration because of social distancing.”

She continued, “I feel that it is important to come together as a community to celebrate and protect the beauty that surrounds us.”’

As a third, fourth and fifth grade teacher at the charter school, Ristuccia is working to get the school certified as an EcoSchool through the National Wildlife Federation. She also worked on the NWF’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge and the Community Wildlife Habitat Certification for Fountain Hills.

Fountain Hills has a number of efforts that have contributed to greening public areas, conservation and increased sustainability,” Derksen said.

Derksen is a board member of the International Dark Sky Discovery Center, Fountain Hills Cultural and Civic Association and vice president of Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association.

“We wanted to give them a voice on this day to let people in Fountain Hills know what has happened in our community already and things they can do as individuals and families,” she said.

Video segments for the virtual event will include a welcome from Mayor Ginny Dickey and presentations from the Community Garden, the Greening of Downtown projects, Dark Skies, Flying Flowers Butterfly Garden, Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden, the Arizona Association for Environmental Education and more.

The prerecorded presentation can be viewed starting at 8 a.m. today, Wednesday, April 22, at fountainhillslive.com/earth-day.