Ring of protest

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May 22, 2006

Killbuck students, concerned citizens protest future landfill

By LYNELLE MILLER The Herald Bulletin Mon May 22, 2006, 11:13 PM EDT

Lauren Schafter loves being a second-grader at Killbuck Elementary and thinks it is the best school ever. “I don’t want to see it close,” she said.

Angel Plummer is a concerned parent who doesn’t want to see a landfill affect her daughter’s health.

Jeff Kline believes it is imperative, as a parent, to back our kids and their education.

Hundreds of reasons were given as to why everyone from Killbuck Elementary students, staff, parents and grandparents to aunts, uncles and local concerned citizens turned out Monday evening to protest Mallard Lake Landfill.

Approximately 212 people stood hand in hand, wrapping their bodies around Killbuck Elementary chanting, “Save our school, save our school.”

The protest was sponsored by the Killbuck Elementary Parent Club along with Killbuck Concerned Citizens Association (KCCA) and was a re-creation of a protest in the early 1990s in which students spoke out against the landfill by joining hands.

“Our challenge is to call public attention to the critical situation,” said Sheryl Myers, president of the KCCA. “It’s a dangerous decision to put a landfill next to a school and in a rural neighborhood. I think the students are the ones most directly impacted. This is a disruption of the educational process.”

After surrounding the entire school with bodies, everyone was invited inside for popcorn, soda and an informational meeting that covered everything from legal terms to the history of the KCCA.

Myers encouraged everyone present, even the children, to write the governor’s office to express their concerns. She also praised the students for taking part. “People will listen to you,” she said. “You have power. If you raise your voice and do what’s right, you can keep the landfill away from our school. I’m sure the governor will see (on television) what you did today. I am so impressed.”

Myers then opened the floor to the audience and several students stood to spoke.

“The reason why I think they shouldn’t put in a landfill is because there are not many country schools left like ours and the teachers are great and it wouldn’t be the same without our school,” said Eden Howells, 8. “It feels like a big happy family. I don’t want them to close our school. I went to College Corner and I don’t want to have to go to another school again. I’m worried about the rats and the smell.”

Members of KCCA admitted that this protest has renewed the community’s energy and has given them strength to continue in their fight.

The protest stirred up interest and brought out several television crews along with an independent documentarian, Bill Kirkos, from Chicago.

“I’m filming a documentary of the affects of waste in the United States and over-consumption,” said Kirkos. “This is one element to the film. I’m looking into this to see how the situation affects the elementary school.”

Myers said she was excited about the turnout and proud to see the amount of exposure KCCA was able to receive through the protest. “Anyone who thinks we need a landfill across our street has not been educated on the issues.”

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