ETEC Joins More Than 20,000 Community Members for Local Street Fair

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - Over 20,000 members of the community took to the pavement at the recent Simi Valley Street Fair. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) Energy Technology and Engineering Center (ETEC) team at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory hosted a booth among more than 380 vendors showcasing local art, crafts, businesses and culinary delights.

The twice-yearly event, sponsored by the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, featured a "pumpkin jubilee" theme. Children participated in a coloring contest, and they dressed in Halloween costumes for trick-or-treat at the booths. Participants of all ages competed in a pumpkin carving contest.

People attending the fair stopped by the EM booth, where staff provided information and answered questions about ETEC work at the site and science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, careers at DOE. The booth team members also handed out materials, including an ETEC CleanUpdate newsletter, internship resources and the EM Strategic Vision.

The EM representatives were joined by community leaders, civic organizations, local fire and police departments, school districts and educators, and other prominent members of the Simi Valley community.

A highlight at the EM booth was the seed ball activity. Guests took balls of soil, clay, water and California Poppy seeds, wrapped them with tissue paper and decorated them like pumpkins, bats and other spooky creatures to take home and plant in their yards.