This year environmental protection advocates in the Flathead Valley and beyond will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day virtually through an online event organized by the Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

The valley’s local chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, an international grassroots environmental group that trains and supports volunteers to help influence climate policy, originally had planned to set up a booth and help out at the Whitefish Earth Day celebration that has now been canceled due to the coronavirus. But according to a press release the group will instead tune into the online event, Uniting from Home: A virtual CCL event with Katherarine Hayhoe, on April 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. Eastern daylight time. According to the event description on eventbrite.com, attendees will “hear from climate leaders, learn about quick actions we can take to help climate change, and get trained.”

“Though I am sad we will not be meeting members of our community in person, I am still looking forward to this year’s online event,” said Robin Paone, a Whitefish resident who leads the local chapter. “I am especially interested in the ‘Depolarizing’ breakout session to get tips on how to find common ground. It seems commonplace in our community to find differing points of view on climate change, and I feel we need to work together to make progress.”

Aside from the Depolarizing breakout, the celebration will also include climate advocate training, a volunteer spotlight panel discussion and a session on climate organizing during the coronavirus pandemic. The event’s keynote speaker is Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, who, according to the press release, is a world-renowned climate scientist, an evangelical Christian and a creator of the educational show “Global Weirding” on PBS.

Virtual attendees will also be guided through three “simple actions they can take to help the climate, right then and there,” according to the press release.

“It’s important that we continue to educate our communities about the climate crisis and build political will for major climate legislation,” said Mark Reynolds, executive director of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. “Though right now Congress is focused on the pandemic, they will need to turn their attention back to climate change soon enough. When that happens, our volunteers will be there with clear policy suggestions.”

To learn more about the event and schedule for different sessions, go to unitingfromhome.eventbrite.com