Many members of the RadJoy network has participated in our annual Global Earth Exchange almost every year. Among them are Farion Pearce of Ventura, California and her friends. They have made it a practice to spend time at the Halaco Plant an EPA Superfund site close to a wetlands area. Farion recounts their story from 2022.

This is our (Farion Pearce and David Lutz) third visit to this site: 2010, 2012 and 2022. Steve Nash joined us in 2012 and returned this year. Steve and David worked at the wastewater treatment plant across the street from Halaco for over 20 years. This has given them an awareness of the wounded place in the midst of the natural beauty of the Ormond Beach Wetlands.

The event was also attended by David Harris, Farion’s husband. David grieves for the Earth and holds its beauty in high regard. Also attending were Mary Nash, Steve’s wife, who loves the Earth and longs for the healing of the wetlands, and David Lavaneri, who had lived nearby during Halaco’s operation and wanted to learn about Radical Joy and reconnect with the area.

The closed Halaco Metal Recycling Facility left a huge slag pile within 100 yards of the Pacific Ocean and very close to Ormond Beach Wetlands. This is an EPA Superfund Site, a truly wounded place on the earth.

Each one of us contributed to this event. We started with introductions and why we felt connected to this place. We spoke of our awareness of its beauty, history, pain and recovery.

We spread out in prayer and to search for material to make our RadJoy Bird—heart-shaped rocks, a feather, sticks, dried brush. We used a rusty bushing with a golf ball for the eye.

Once, we formed our beautiful bird, we placed a picture of our beloved friend Kent Pearce in the bird’s mouth. Kent attended our 2010, and 2012 Halaco site visits.

We SANG the RADICAL JOY song. This is sung to the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in my Heart melody. The lyrics are found on the back of the 2010 Radical Joy Tee shirt.

We also picked up a lot of trash.