The East Montgomery County Improvement District, (EMCID) hosted the first annual "Friends of EarthQuest" event this week (Tuesday, December 8, 2009) drawing more than 275 local officials, residents and business representatives for the community introduction of the planned EarthQuest Adventure Park and it's affliated non-profit, The EarthQuest Institute.

"This event far surpassed our expectations in terms of the community support we received and the funds raised for the EarthQuest Institute", said EMCID President and CEO Frank McCrady.  "Interest in EarthQuest is so high that we reached full capacity and unfortunately had to turn some people away."

The event raised more than $75,000 for the EarthQuest Institute, a 501(c)3 organization that will be located on 37 acres withing the planned EarthQuest Adventures Theme Park development. The Institute's mission is to inform and educate visitors about new technologies in energy production and conservation, sustainable technologies, and environmental stewardship.  Institute planners intend to accomplish that through interactive, state-of-the-art exhibs and educational programming at the planned 40,000 square-foot Institute headquarters, through it's website and with national and international education and media projects.

Additional EarthQuest community events are planned for the region in early 2010.  The EarthQuest Institute team expects to launch its first educational programming later next year.

More information about the project is available from Don Holbrook, President/CEO of EarthQuest Institute, at 928-706-4440, via email at [email protected], and at www.earthquestinstitute.org.