Hefty or Wimpy?

SAT 11/15

In an Olympics-style battle pitting Wyandotte County against Johnson County, dry-cleaning competitions would go to JoCo. Ditto for Jones Store branch proliferation. But WyCo would kick ass in a triathlon involving NASCAR, hardcore vanning … and recycling.So Wyandotte County is a big winner as far as area activities honoring America Recycles Day are concerned. At the Children’s Museum of Kansas City (4601 State Avenue) is an exhibit called Toilet Paper Makeover by artist Joanne Suther, who leads sessions on turning trash into art at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Environmental Library on West Wyandotte Lake at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The library is our preferred America Recycles Day location because it offers visitors the chance to enjoy the environment that events such as these strive to conserve. Whether hot-dog eating occurs inside or outside depends on the weather, but the nature trail that winds around the lake on the library’s grounds is open regardless of the forecast.

At the Wyandotte County Recycling Center (3241 Park Drive), recyclers get free iris bulbs. It’s planting season for those — yet another reason to spend America Recycles Day outside. For details or a complete list of events, call 913-573-8735.— Gina Kaufmann

5K Strange Trip

Runners will see things at Shoal Creek.

SAT 11/15

Some joggers claim to experience a “runner’s high” after traveling a certain distance. At the Shoal Creek Wilderness Run, participants may get high by running around, but when they trot past the site’s living-history museum and see its volunteer reenactors in period dress, they’ll be straight trippin’.Registration can be done by mail (details are available at mararunning.com) or at the Shoal Creek site (7000 N.E. Barry Road) from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday or 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Saturday. The roughly 5-kilometer Wilderness Run starts at 9 a.m., with USATF cross-country races beginning at 10:30 a.m. For more details, call 816-513-7668.— Michael Vennard