The City of Chattanooga Parks Division is seeking volunteers for this Saturday’s Family Volunteer Day at Sterchi Farm Park and Trailhead. "This is an opportunity to have fun, meet new people, develop new skills and learn about stewardship, while protecting and enhancing Chattanooga’s special places," officials said.
For this Saturday’s event, Chattanooga is joining a national initiative from the Walt Disney Company, which has organized a national Family Volunteer Day on the Saturday before Thanksgiving for 22 years. "The day helps kick off the holiday season by giving service and presents an exciting opportunity for kids and families around the world to make a difference in their community," officials said.
In Chattanooga, Family Volunteer Day also provides an opportunity to connect volunteers in the community with the City of Chattanooga’s Meet Me at the Park project. Chattanooga won funding for the project through a grant from the National Recreation and Park Association. The NRPA is also collaborating with The Walt Disney Company on Meet Me at the Park, which is their joint program aimed at improving access to outdoor play — including trails, mobile play, play spaces and sports.
The grant Chattanooga received will fund the Sterchi Farm Adventure Trail at Sterchi Farm Park. Chattanooga is one of only 25 grant recipients nationwide to be selected through the program.
Families - and individuals - in Chattanooga are encouraged to join the Family Volunteer Day to help spruce up Sterchi Farm Park. For this Saturday, projects will include:
• Landscaping, such as invasive plant removal;
• Litter pick up;
• Graffiti removal; and
• Fence staining
Volunteer activities will take place from 9 a.m. to around noon. After volunteering, everyone is invited to stay for lunch and to learn more about the Sterchi Farm Adventure Trail and these partners: Chattanooga Park Stewards, Trust for Public Land, WildOnes, GreenSteps, GreenTrips and the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway Alliance.
Info and registration is available here.
For more information on City of Chattanooga parks volunteer opportunities, visit http://www.chattanooga.gov/parkvols.