The Polk Township Community Walking Park was bustling with activities last Sunday — including corn pit play area for children, free apple cider samples, face painting, pumpkin tic-tac-toe, and representatives from many organizations answering questions — for the third annual Polk Township Environmental Day.

“We already have a large crowd and it’s only about an hour into the event,” said Nancy Wright, vice chairwoman of the Polk Township Parks and Recreation Commission. “We have our new playground for the children, and this is the first year Monroe County Control Center and Smokey Bear are here for this event.”

The blue and white playground equipment was recently installed at the walking park, which has a third-acre stone walking trail, benches and pavilion with picnic tables.

“Smokey and I are here to share the fire prevention message and hand out information about the state forest system,” said Garrett Beers, Monroe County fire forester with the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources.

“I’m talking to kids about how to call or text 9-1-1 for emergencies and what to say to the person on the other end so they can help,” said Brad Harrison, a 9-1-1 dispatcher.

The purpose of the event is to connect the community with various local agencies, and share vital information about the environment and local agriculture.

“Our Polk Township table has a display about crops grown here. There are eight working farms in Polk. There’s a sign about the differences between sweet corn and field corn, and signs about the differences between hay and straw,” Wright said.

Hay is for horses to eat; whereas straw is for bedding, mulch and decorating.

Bales of straw, pumpkins and cornstalk were used to decorate the walkway and entrances of the vendors’ spaces.

There was a free pumpkin patch where families could choose one pumpkin to take home. Kids and adults could go inside the wire fencing of a petting zoo containing pigs, ducks, goats, sheep, bunnies, turtles and chickens from Party Animals Express in Green Lane.

Four-year-old Corene Kuntz and her mom, Jenny Kuntz, played drums, looked at animal furs and learned how to make a hoop and stick game at the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania’s table.

“Indian children used to make hoop and stick games to improve their agility. All of these animal hides help keep the balance of the Earth. There are many stories of how they helped the Lenape,” said Clan Mother Shelley DePaul.

DePaul said she participates in a lot of community events like this one along the Delaware River because it “is the river of the Lenape. We call it Lenape Sipu. Sipu is the Lenape word for river.”

Salem-St Paul Lutheran Church returned for its third year at the event.

“Here, the kids will decorate leaves for the tree and write about how they’ll help the environment. We are also having a bake sale,” said Jessica Balbuena, a member of the church.

Boy Scout Troop 102 of Saylorsburg and Astronomy in the Community had tables and canopies next to each other because they have members in both groups.

“I am here demonstrating our telescopes and promoting our Oct. 25 Star Party, as well as promoting the things our troop is doing, like the popcorn sale,” said Claudio T. Stabile.

For his Eagle Scout project, he built an observatory at the Polk Township field on the other side of the municipal building. His father, his Scoutmaster and other Scouts helped him raise money and build the observatory, where he stores his telescopes and other equipment.

The Star Party is a free community event on Oct. 25 starting at 4 p.m. and going until late in the evening.

“Attendees who have their own telescope can bring it so we can help them learn how to use it better. We’ll be able to see Saturn, Jupiter and the moon,” Stabile said.

His younger sister, Ava Stablile, was there to answer questions about her Girl Scout Gold Project, where Western Pocono Community Library patrons can borrow microscopes and telescopes for a certain period of time.

“My project is basically done. I still have to do graphs and statistics about how many people are borrowing each one. Many people have been borrowing them, so it’s been a successful project,” she said.

Children had the opportunity to pet goats and chickens in a petting zoo or meet an osprey, opossum or kestrel from the Wilderz at Pocono Wildlife.

Lydia Borger, secretary of the Future Farmers of America, with 50 members in Monroe County, said “We try to spread agricultural education around the county.” The group is also involved in Polk Township trick-or-treat, Christmas, local bingo, and food pantries.

Craft choices were plentiful from making a bird feeder with a paper towel roll, crafts with dried flowers or painting a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. A scavenger hunt was also held throughout the park.

Nine-year-old Helen Staples enjoyed teaching the others about insects. She has been a member of the 4-H Club “since she was a little baby.”

Staples was full of enthusiasm and knowledge to share with the others. Five-year-old Kelly Hadley, although reluctant to touch the insects, learned that beetles eat moths.

At the Groundhog Lodge #6 of Monroe County table, Norm Burger was ready to chat about the lodge and preserving Polk Township history.

“I am here today to do multiple things. First, is to find people interested in restarting the Polk Township Historical Society.

Secondly, it is to promote the local Groundhog Lodges and preservation of the PA Dutch language,” he said.

The historical society went dormant during the pandemic. His hopes are to get the group going again soon so it can participate in activities and events for the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026.

“I want to get a younger generation involved in history,” said Burger.

Environmental Day was held at Polk Township Walking Park on a crisp fall day this weekend. Learning and fun were in abundance.

Lori R. Cooper contributed to this report.