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Mud-lovers united last Saturday at Walnut Creek Wetland Center’s annual, award-winning Mud Day. Sound Rivers Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz and Development Coordinator Jay Potter were there to witness the fun.

“It was a really great event. There were a ton of environmental groups and nonprofits from the area and lots of interactive activities for kids to take part in,” Emily said.

While one popular highlight was an obstacle course that ended in a giant mud pit, Emily and Jay wowed attendees at the Sound Rivers tent with a lesson about how water gets polluted, by adding food coloring representing types of pollution to a bowl with “rain” washing them together.

“It showed the kids how to be a scientist and a detective and think about what could be causing some issues in our waters,” Emily said.

Emily teamed up with neighboring nonprofit The Great Raleigh Cleanup’s Preston Ross III and Ilene Doyle to demonstrate how the trash trap on Little Rock Creek (on the Wetland Center’s campus) works, cleaning out the trash that had been captured traveling down the creek.

Emily said the event is an ideal way to reach the next generation of environmentalists.

“I think it’s always a great opportunity to connect with families and kids to start their love of their environment young,” she said.“Mud Day is a really cool way to get some young minds interested in environmental science.”