2014: A Year of Volunteers at The Parklands
We logged thousands of volunteer hours in our gardens, classrooms, trails, and just about everywhere else you can think in the park. Here are a few highlights from the year, by the numbers:
8,500 – volunteer hours donated
1,500 –trees planted by volunteers
1,000 – envelopes stuffed by volunteers
155 –bird species documented by Beckham Bird Club volunteers in Beckley Creek and Pope Lick Parks
67 –new volunteers trained for our education programs and first-ever Trail Team
19 –corporate, school, and scout groups that donated over 750 hours of volunteer time to the park
11 – community leaders on our all-volunteer board
2 – volunteer bloggers
2 – creek sweep cleanup events
1 – baby pool removed from Floyds Fork during previously mentioned creek sweep
1 – number of people it takes to make a difference in The Parklands
Through the help of these dedicated volunteers, we were able to deliver world-class educational programming through our Outdoor Classroom; keep our lakes, streams, and trails clean; remove invasive garlic mustard from sensitive riparian areas; mulch our garden beds and playgrounds; improve water drainage at The Barklands dog park; restore native plant species and much, much, more.
Above all, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who put in such hard work to make this year a success. Whether you braved the cold to plant bulbs with our garden crew, joined us for an afternoon of making flower arrangements for a big event, or came out with your coworkers to help plant trees, your time makes such a difference here at The Parklands.
If you are interested in learning more about volunteering, either as an individual or with a group, please visit our volunteer page here or contact me directly at agreenwell@21cparks.org. I look forward to seeing you out at the park in 2015!