Meridian Waste’s Shotwell Environmental Park Welcomes 500+ Guests for Earth Day 2025 Community Event
Raleigh, NC (April 21, 2025) – How long does it take for a crowd of eager kids to find 2,015 hidden Easter eggs? At Meridian Waste’s 3rd Annual Big, Bright Earth Day Party & Easter Egg Hunt, it took just 110 seconds— and not a single egg was left behind!
Held on Saturday, April 19th, at Shotwell Environmental Park, the event welcomed more than 500 local residents for a day of fun, learning, and celebration in honor of Earth Day 2025. With green pastures as the backdrop and a working industrial landfill at its heart, the event showcased Meridian Waste’s commitment to sustainability, education, and community.
"We believe in opening our gates to the community—not just to explain what we do, but to build lasting connections," said Patrick Messinger, Area President of Meridian Waste in North Carolina. "Shotwell isn’t just a landfill—it’s a vital part of protecting our environment. And today, it was also a place for smiles, sunshine, and shared joy."
From Petting Zoos to Prize Eggs
The family-friendly celebration was packed with interactive attractions:
- A petting zoo featuring goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, and even a miniature donkey and horse.
- Inflatable games and field activities to keep the energy high.
- The always-popular Touch-A-Truck experience where kids could explore real-life waste and recycling vehicles.
- A free hot fried chicken lunch, served picnic-style under open skies.
But the star event? The noon Easter Egg Hunt, split into three age groups (2–4, 5–7, and 8–10), with each group racing to find five hidden “Earth Eggs”—special prizes awarded to 15 lucky children. Within just under two minutes, all 2,015 candy- and prize-filled eggs had been scooped up—an impressive feat that left even the staff stunned.
Learning in Every Step
More than 50% of attendees also participated in guided hayride tours of the landfill, gaining insight into Meridian Waste’s environmental practices and the importance of proper waste disposal and recycling. The tours offered an up-close look at how waste is managed responsibly, with an emphasis on safety, sustainability, and community transparency.
Looking Ahead
Meridian Waste is already planning its next free community event at Shotwell Environmental Park, scheduled for Saturday, August 16, 2025. The “End-of-Summer Splash Bash” will feature a giant slip & slide and a classic summer picnic lunch—perfect for cooling down and celebrating the last days of summer break.
Stay up to date on upcoming events by visiting MeridianWaste.com or following us on Facebook.
Image 1: An Earth Egg winner and her friend show off their eggs
Image 2: Touch-A-Truck Young Driver
Image 3: Neighbors on a Hayride Tour of Shotwell Environmental Park
Image 4: Petting Zoo Bunny with Admirer
About Meridian Waste:
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Meridian Waste is a company defined by its commitment to servicing its customers, caring for and engaging its employees, and generating financial value for its shareholders while delivering a clean and healthy community. The company’s core waste business is centered on residential, commercial, and industrial non-hazardous waste collection and disposal. Currently, the company operates in Northeast Fla., St. Louis, Mo., Raleigh, N.C and the greater Triad Region of NC., Greenville, S.C., Knoxville, Tenn., Huntsville, AL, Central AL, North & South MS, Blacksburg, Va., Harrisonburg, Va., and Richmond, Va., servicing more than 530,900 residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers. In addition to a fleet of commercial, residential, and roll-off trucks, the company operates 30 hauling companies, nine transfer stations/materials recycling facilities (MRFs), three municipal solid waste landfills, and four C&D landfills in which 1,326,954 tons of waste are safely disposed of annually. For more information, visit MeridianWaste.com.
Media Contact:
Mary O’Brien
(904) 616-5322
MObrien@MeridianWaste.com
