Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District is seeking area sponsors within its seven-county region for the 35^th Annual Earth Day Poster, Trash Art and Graphic Art Contest. Sponsorships provide prizes for students placing first and second along with honorable mentions in the contest. Some 91 students received prizes in 2025.

The trash art and poster contests are open to all students in grades pre-k to college, including homeschooled students, within Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. Students have the opportunity to participate in multiple contest categories, including posters (hand drawn and graphic arts), and repurposing recyclables and trash into three-dimensional pieces of art. This year’s theme is “Be a Food Waste Warrior” with a focus on reducing food waste by not taking too much food, sharing your leftovers, feeding food waste to farm animals and composting. 

All sponsors receive their logo on the contest flyer and special recognition on the ORSWMD website and Facebook page.

“To those businesses and individuals who have already donated, we say thank you,” said Tammy Snodgrass, MRPC environmental programs manager. 

For more information on becoming a sponsor or for a sponsorship form, please visit https://ozarkrivers.org/programs-and-services/earth-day/ or contact Jill Hollowell, environmental program specialist, via email jhollowell@meramecregion.org or via phone at 573-265-2993 ext. 109.

The Ozark Rivers District includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities with populations of 500 or more. The district’s strategy for solid waste reduction, which has been individually adopted by all member governments and approved by Missouri Department of Natural Resources, involves education and increased recycling and waste reduction efforts in member counties and cities. MRPC provides administration of the district and assists with a variety of implementation projects.

Ozark Rivers receives funding for its waste reduction, recycling and education efforts through a tipping fee collected at landfills and transfer stations in the region.

For more information about ORSWMD or waste reduction and recycling opportunities in the Ozark Rivers area, contact Snodgrass, MRPC environmental programs manager, at 573-265-2993 or by email at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org. Also, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ORSWMD and on the web at www.ozarkrivers.org. 

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Osage County Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin serves as chairman. A professional staff of 24, led by Executive Director Bonnie Prigge, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.

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