Ithaca, N.Y. – Amongst the bustle of a busy Saturday morning during Wizarding Weekend, a stand raising awareness for The Cayuga Lake Watershed Network draws in the children of the community through golden eggs and magical written spells.
“So what we got here is that kids can select a golden egg from a vat of cold water and then write a spell to protect the lake on a little scroll. They keep it safe in the golden egg and then take it home,” said Hilary Lambert, Cayuga Lake Watershed Network Executive Director.
“We thought that bringing a positive message to kids about taking care of Cayuga Lake and protecting clean water would be a great way to take part in today.” She adds. “So this is a little more of a magic way of protecting Cayuga Lake.”
However, the creative mind behind the the magical theme is 14-year- old Isabella Tufano.
With the help of her mother, a staff member on The Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, Isabella established the Harry Potter-based stand.
“My mom asked me if I had any ideas for the booth, and seeing as how I’m a major Harry Potter fan, this is what immediately came to my mind,” Tufano says. “I thought it would be a good idea to help with the Lake.”
And families such as the Pettits also see the value in incorporating environmental awareness in fun magic activities for kids.
“It creates awareness for the kids and kids pick up on that. Sometimes kids are the best teachers for parents,” says Don Petit, who worked for the National Resources Conservation Service and spent 38 years under The Department of Agriculture.