Take Pride in America - The Blog

Take Pride in America Highlights United We Serve Energy & Environment Focus Week

2009-08-06T15:50:00.003-04:00

This week, President Obama's United We Serve initiative will spotlight volunteer initiatives that promote energy efficiency, address climate change, and preserve our natural environment as part of Energy and Environment Week. In June, President Obama announced “United We Serve,” a nationwide summer volunteer service initiative to help meet growing social needs resulting from the economic downturn. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar followed the President’s announcement with a call to action for every adult to mentor a child outdoors this summer.

In support of Energy and Environment Week and Secretary Salazar’s call to action, the National Wildlife Federation, in partnership with Take Pride in America® and the Department of the Interior participated in three volunteer service events throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area on Wednesday, August 5, 2009.

The National Park Service hosted an invasive plant species removal event at Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve in Alexandria, Virginia. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service planed an invasive plant species removal project at Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, Maryland. The third service site is in collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management at Virginia’s Meadowood Special Recreation Area where volunteers repaired a walking trail.

Other Take Pride in America United We Serve partners are also holding events this week around the country. For example, Sierra Club will be hosting a Fishing Day for Kids in Shady Valley, Tennessee, and a Reynolds Creek Trail Maintenance event in Arizona.

In addition to these events, individuals and organizations are encouraged to host their own energy and environmental service events and highlight them online and in the media. Examples of activities for Energy and Environment week include: Trail maintenance and invasive species removal, weatherizing homes or cleaning a stream or river.

Service projects can be promoted online or in the media and volunteers are encouraged to recruit volunteers and share their stories of service on Serve.gov. United We Serve will spotlight some of these stories throughout the week.

Upcoming United We Serve issue weeks are Health (August 10-17) and Safety and Security (August 24-30). The final week (August 31-September 6) will focus on service by people of faith and faith-based organizations. The first issue week, Community Renewal, was July 20-26, followed by Education Week (July 27-August 2).

United We Serve is President Obama's call to service challenging all Americans to engage in sustained, meaningful community service. United We Serve initially runs from June 22 through a new National Day of Service on September 11, but will grow into a sustained, collaborative and focused effort to promote service as a way of life for all Americans. United We Serve is led by the Corporation for National and Community Service. For more information, visit Serve.gov.

To read the Department of Interior's press release, click HERE.

To read the National Wildlife Federation’s press release, click HERE.

For the Corporation for National & Community Service’s press release about Energy and Environment Focus week, click HERE.

Student Conservation Association Interns Maintain Parks, Essex County, New Jersey

2009-07-30T17:23:00.002-04:00

Newark students maintain parks, learn about environment

Thirty high school students, most of them from Newark, New Jersey, maintain parks throughout Essex County as part of a summer internship program run by the Student Conservation Association. Among their many goals, the interns are working to re-route hiking trails, fix erosion and drainage problems, perform tree maintenance, and remove invasive species.

San Diego River Clean-Up, Mission Valley, California

2009-07-10T09:53:00.003-04:00

The San Diego River Park Foundation's Clean & Green Team saw 216 volunteers turnout for their June 27th cleanup at the California Fish & Game's Preserve in Mission Valley. The volunteers collected 5,000lbs of trash and an assortment of recyclables materials that included 13 tires and 4 cubic yards of mixed recyclables like: aluminum cans, bottles, and cardboard; and several bags containers with oil products and aerosol cans. Unique items found at this cleanup were: a large blow-up swimming pool, a mattress and box spring set, empty propane tank and barbeque grill. This area of the river is in a dense urban setting. This event was co-sponsored by Pepsi, I Love A Clean San Diego, the Union Bank of California, California Fish & Game, and REI.

Also, at their June 13th Cleanup at the Mission Valley Preserve’s Cottonwood Grove site they had 83 volunteers turnout, and they helped remove 4,700 pounds of trash.

To date, 41,300 pounds (or 20.65 Tons) of trash have been removed from this watershed since October 2008. Wow!

Catch a Special Thrill (CAST) Fishing/ Take Pride in America Event at Sarge Hubbard Pond, Yakima, Washington

2009-07-09T15:58:00.005-04:00

The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation hosted a CAST /Take Pride in America Event on June 20, 2009 at Sarge Hubbard Pond in Yakima, Washington. The purpose of CAST events is to provide disabled and disadvantaged children to enjoy a quality outdoor recreational experience fishing on the water. The day of fishing went very well. There were 21 children who participated and quite a few fish were caught. In addition, everyone enjoyed the BBQ lunch that was prepared by Reclamation’s Yakima Area Office employees.

To top it all off, an exciting awards ceremony was held at the end with all of the participants receiving a plaque, certificate and fun pack filled with educational and fun items.

There were 35 volunteers which included three individuals from a local agency of adults with disabilities. These individuals were very excited and thrilled to be useful at such an important event. They contributed to the food preparation, security and safety, and as a fishing buddy.

10th Annual CAST For Kids Event Splashes Down at Shasta Lake, Shasta Lake City, California

2009-07-09T14:59:00.005-04:00

On Saturday, June 13th, 2009, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation/Northern California Area Office in partnership with the C.A.S.T. For Kids Foundation and Take pride in America, held its 10th annual CAST for Kids event on Shasta Lake, in beautiful Northern California. Thirty-nine happy, special kids headed out on the water on what ended up being a picture perfect day. While sunny blue skies and spring-like temperatures ended up greeting the excited anglers, the night before was a much different story. One of the regions summer storms, bringing wind, rain, and lightning, blew through as event organizers were setting up, giving some concern about how the weather would affect the turnout. By the time the storm came through, a third of an inch of rain fell, and wind blew over some of the shade tents. But that was no match for the excitement of the day, as the eager group of boaters, kids and volunteers showed up bright and early, ready to take on the task at hand: fishing beautiful Shasta Lake!

Boaters from local bass clubs, some as far away as Red Bluff, came to take special needs kids out to share their passion for the sport of fishing, and enjoying the outdoors. The day started with registration and a visit from the California Highway Patrol with their sidekick Chipper. A brief boating safety talk was given by Shasta County Sheriff’s deputies while the group ate a light breakfast, after which our group was eager to hit the lake and catch the big ones. Launching 32 boats was made smooth with the help of several Reclamation employees who pitched in to help make it all happen.

When the group returned from their morning of fishing, they were welcomed by Smokey Bear from the US Forest Service and a big BBQ lunch cooked up by the Redding Elks Lodge with food provided by many local businesses. As lunch was eaten, and fish stories shared, you could just see the fondness that had developed between these special kids and their fishing mentors. It’s hard to tell who had more fun- the kids or the volunteers who took them out!

As the day ended, each child was given a plaque to commemorate the day, along with a goody bag full of donated items from the local community. As the group started to leave, there were lots of hugs, smiles, and promises to “see ya’ next year!”

“I just wanted to say a big ‘Thank You’, remarked Sherrie Brooks, one of the parents. “This was the first year our eight-year-old son Brad participated in CAST For Kids. It was fantastic! My husband and son had a wonderful time on one of the pontoon boats; they learned more about fishing and enjoyed being in the great outdoors on Shasta Lake. I was very impressed with the organization of the event. It far exceeded our expectations. We look forward to next year. What a great program for kids with special needs. Thanks once again”.

When it comes down to it…that’s what it is all about!

2009 Cast for Kids Fishing Event, Lake Bastrop, Texas

2009-05-19T12:21:00.010-04:00

The fifth annual Catch a Special Thrill (CAST) for Kids fishing event on April 25th, 2009 at Lake Bastrop in Bastrop, Texas was a great success. Once again, the Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado River Authority, and Blue Bonnet Electric Cooperative partnered to provide a fun-filled day of boating and fishing. The event was also billed as a “Take Pride in America” function.

A total of 33 children (age ranges 5 to 15 years old) attended the event, accompanied by dozens of family members and friends. Once again, we hosted those with a variety of disabilities including cerebral palsy, Hunter’s disease, autism, Down’s syndrome, and cancer to name a few. Overall, participants represented the Bastrop Independent School District (ISD), Del Valley ISD, Austin ISD, San Marcos ISD, and Austin’s Dell Children’s Hospital. Upon arrival, each child was provided with breakfast, a fishing pole, tackle box, shirt, cap, as well as a special prize lunch box that contained bottled water, sunscreen, disposable camera, and a special toy. During the award’s ceremony, Smoky the Bear made a special appearance to hand out plaques to each of the event’s participants.

A total of 28 captains donated their time and their boats to the special event. As always, we ended up with a perfect match of the number of boats and kids. Furthermore, almost 100 volunteers were on-hand to ensure a wonderful day of safe fishing. In all, about 190 people attended this year’s event.

Finally, the event could not be made possible without the generous support of our event sponsors. In all, this year’s event had almost 20 sponsors. Most notable sponsors include Wal-Mart, which provided cash and volunteers, and Chili’s, which provided lunch and cooked up fresh chicken and beef fajitas with all the trimmings.

The Linendoll's - Outstanding Volunteers!

2009-05-12T14:49:00.004-04:00

Since 2003, Zion National Park has had the honor of receiving volunteer services from Ken and Nancy Linendoll. They have been campground hosts at Watchman Campground each year, most recently departing Zion in October 2008 after another successful season. During their time here, Ken and Nancy have become trusted and loved members of the Zion family; everyone who has had the privilege of interacting with them has discovered that they are two of the friendliest, kindest, most genuine, caring people ever to have visited the park and our lives.

Ken and Nancy have always been willing to go the extra mile. In 2005, after completing the full length of their volunteer season, they stepped in and continued volunteering in the campground when the hosts who were set to follow them were unable to fulfill their commitment. The following season, their fellow campground host had some health issues that resulted in him requiring surgery and a lengthy recovery time. This kept him from being able to work as a campground host on Ken and Nancy’s days off. Not only did they work nearly every one of their days off to ensure the campground staff had the assistance they needed, Ken and Nancy also helped take care of and nurse their co-host back to health, driving him to the hospital and doctor appointments, caring for his dog, and cooking him meals. These are the kinds of things Ken and Nancy selflessly do on a regular basis to improve the lives of and help out the people around them.

Over the years, the love and pride Ken and Nancy feel for Zion National Park has been shown through their actions. They have represented the park in the local town’s parades; they have been great ambassadors for the park in their interactions with campers and other visitors, passionately educating them about all the great opportunities that abound here; they have shown amazing dedication to Watchman Campground and the NPS staff by giving serious thought about ways to improve the operation to provide for a better work environment for the staff and a better visitor experience. They have forged lasting friendships with many members of the Zion National Park staff and get along amazingly well with staff members from all divisions of the park, from the maintenance staff to the law enforcement rangers to the dispatchers to the fee rangers.

The entire staff at Zion National Park is proud to have the opportunity to congratulate Ken and Nancy on their amazing accomplishment of receiving the Presidential Volunteer Award. Words cannot express the appreciation we feel not only for the incredible work they do for the park, but especially for the time we’ve been lucky enough to spend with them and the privilege it is to call them friends. We look forward to seeing their smiling faces back in the glow of the red rock of Zion!

Jill Modrak-Killian
Watchman Campground Supervisor
Zion National Park

Once Ken and Nancy finish their work at Zion National Park, they move on to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and volunteer for another 3 or 4 months as fee assistants at the Monument's Twin Peaks Campground. Pictured above with the Linendoll's is Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Chief of Interpretation, Andy Fisher.

San Diego River Park Foundation

2009-05-12T14:24:00.005-04:00

At a recent San Diego River Park Foundation event co-sponsored by Take Pride in America, the Bureau of Reclamation Southern California Area Office, the California Department of Transportation: Don't Trash California Campaign, Union Bank of California and REI, volunteers removed over 6,000 pounds of trash!! The ninety-five volunteers, included Navy personnel & family members and employees from a local Wells Fargo Bank.

One lucky volunteer happened upon this 98 year old trophy! The trophy was awarded to the American Show Print Company. The company started in 1849 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and created the lighted scoreboards for baseball games. It makes you wonder how it got all the way to the banks of the San Diego River!

Big Bend National Park honors 29 volunteers at April 6th Awards Ceremony

2009-04-24T12:58:00.002-04:00

As the spring season draws to a close at Big Bend, staff and volunteers gathered for a special lasagna dinner at the park headquarters Community Room which was transformed by the addition of flower arrangements and tablecloths. As everyone gathered for a social hour, the emphasis was on getting together and catching up on the news since some of the volunteers had not seen each other since orientation in January. The highlight of the evening was a slide show followed by the awards presentation.

The slide show highlighted the accomplishments and activities of the volunteers during the past three months. The 29 volunteers provided 8,825 service hours during February and March with work continuing through April. In addition to staffing visitor centers and campgrounds, volunteers assisted River Rangers, performed backcountry and fire patrol and contributed to various projects for Science and Resource Management.

An unknown author said, “No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.” We are grateful for the time and energy that all the volunteers contribute here at Big Bend and hope that the Awards Ceremony was successful in conveying our appreciation.

Featured is NPS Interpreter Mary Kay Manning and volunteers Pat and Marshall McCall.

Checking in with Clifton

2009-04-09T11:18:00.007-04:00

In 2007, the City of Clifton, New Jersey's Clean Communities program was recognized with a Take Pride in America National Award for their outstanding efforts in promoting volunteerism and public lands stewardship...and we are proud to say that they are still going strong! Clifton is home to 23 Take Pride Schools that continue to engage students in activities that benefit their schools and community as a whole.

Recently one of Clifton's outstanding citizen volunteers was recognized with the Presidential Volunteer Gold Service Award. Theresa Evans, a teacher at Christopher Columbus Middle School took on a beautification project that included over 900 personal volunteer hours! She also coordinated over 5,000 volunteer hours form students, parents, teachers and inmates from the Passaic County Jail. Together they transformed an overgrown courtyard into a beautiful outdoor haven for students. She also tackled the school grounds and they are now beautifully landscaped with trees, bushes, a cinder path, benches and picnic tables.

Theresa was honored at the annual Clean Communities awards ceremony that was held on March 12, 2009 at Clifton High School.

Photos of the school grounds before the beautification project...

Photos of all the hard work...

Photos of the school grounds after the beautification project...

It's amazing what the vision, dedication and hard work of one person can accomplish...especially when they have an army of volunteers behind them! Congratulations Theresa and thank you to the City of Clifton, NJ for continuing the mission and goals of the Take Pride in America program!

Battery Creek High School Volunteer at Hunting Island State Park

2009-03-25T11:57:00.003-04:00

Twenty-eight Battery Creek High School students earned community service hours this month by collecting litter at Hunting Island State Park. A Take Pride In America sponsor and under the direction of Friends of Hunting Island State Park, Karen Whitehead, Litter Director.

They filled 30 garbage bags with plastic bottles, cans, paper and old clothing, and one student found the cover of an outboard motor. Freshmen and sophomores are required to complete between 40 and 50 hours of community service this year to help the high school earn designation as an accredited International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program, which serves 11- to 16-year-old students, said Julie Petroff, the school's coordinator for the program. Battery Creek already offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, which gives upperclassman an opportunity to earn college credit in high school.

"They had a blast," Petroff said. "I think teenagers can be very self-
centered, not in a bad way so much, but they are really into themselves. This kind of gets them out of that and starts them on thinking about other people and thinking about the environment."

C & O Canal Pride Days

2009-03-10T11:11:00.006-04:00

With spring fast approaching, it's time to get one of our favorite national parks ready for the visitor season. Join us again for C&O Canal Pride Days, a joint effort between the Trust and the C&O Canal National Historical Park to tackle dozens of much-needed projects in the park. Volunteer activities this year will include painting buildings, repairing and painting picnic tables and grills, cutting back overgrown vegetation, rehabilitating trails, and much more.

This year's kickoff event will be at the Great Falls Tavern in Potomac, Maryland on Saturday, April 18th. Come early to enjoy brief opening remarks from C&O Canal NHP Superintendent Kevin Brandt, light refreshments to jump start the day's activities, and a unique opportunity to “Meet a Mule.”

We encourage you to join us in completing projects at any or all of these locations throughout the spring:

Saturday, April 18th – Great Falls
Saturday, April 25th – Lander and Brunswick
Saturday, May 2nd – Williamsport and Hancock
Saturday, May 16th – Cabin John (Team River Runner project)

Last year Take Pride in America had the pleasure of teaming up with the C&O Canal Trust for our final event of the 2008 Southeast Voluntour Across America. You can read about our event here, and enjoy some great photos from the event below.

For more information, visit the C&O Canal Trust website.

San Diego River Park Foundation

2009-02-27T10:36:00.000-05:00

Volunteers with the San Diego River Park Foundation removed 1,200 pounds of trash from the San Diego River. Interesting items included a
waterlogged punching bag, bike frame, car battery and burned lounge
chair. Below Shannon Quigley, the Field Operations Associate from the San Diego River Park Foundation, shares some of the highlights.

Marissa and her Dad Ricardo came to help clean up the San Diego River
because Marissa is very conscious of trash and she loves animals and
nature. Ricardo said that Marissa picks up trash wherever they go. Ricardo
thought volunteering with the San Diego River Park Foundation Clean and Green
team would be a great opportunity to satisfy her desire to clean up the
environment. Along with numerous other trash items Marissa and her Dad
found this old rusted bike frame near the river and pulled it out. Great job
Marissa, the San Diego River is definitely cleaner because of your
work!

Alan and Brigit are two of our newest volunteers. Alan is a senior and
San Diego High School. After high school he wants to pursue a degree in
Environmental Engineering. Alan volunteers with the clean-up events
and other River Park activities because of the experience he gains. Brigit
was at the Mission Valley Preserve a week before and noticed how dirty the
area was, she volunteered to help remove the trash and get the area clean so
her walks can be more enjoyable. Alan and Brigit found a lounge chair in
the San Diego River. The two worked together to bring it to shore.

Elementary School Students Participate in Restoration Project at Lake Berryessa, California

2009-02-27T10:11:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday, February 4, 2009, the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students of Capell Valley Elementary School arrived ready to feel the earth beneath their fingernails and eager to help restore native grasses to the Lake Berryessa Visitor Center. As part of Take Pride in America, 14 students and 3 adults participated in a Reclamation sponsored project to rehabilitate the area’s natural vegetation and to resurrect a piece of California’s “herbaceous heritage,” while at the same time controlling erosion and the encroachment of invasive weeds. The students took up their work enthusiastically, digging holes and gently planting plugs of native fescue, purple needle grass and soap plant. Learning that the native bunch grasses being planted were perennial gave the students a feeling of pride that their efforts would continue to prosper through the years. The sense of a lasting contribution even gave a few students a desire to name individual grass bunches so that “Fred the Fescue” could be checked up on at a later date.

The Creative Kids Make a Difference and Earn Presidential Service Awards

2008-11-03T14:58:00.002-05:00

Nine child leaders from Plymouth, MA, who named themselves “The Creative Kids” received Presidential Service Awards for their community service this summer. The children were empowered to bring families together for a day of fun at an event they created and led called “Into Our World Day” on August 23, 2008, at JunglePlex. Lynne Richardson, proud mother of Shane & Ainsley Richardson, had the idea to coach a group of children in creating such an event when she realized that the most important gift she could give to her children was herself. “With the many demands on parents today,” Lynne said, “our time can seem like the hardest gift to give, yet when we choose to play, we connect and communicate with our children in a way that greatly impacts their self-esteem and confidence.” Liz Parsons, a teacher in Duxbury and supporter of the Reggio Emilia approach to learning (where children are honored and respected for their potential, capabilities and humanity) was also a coach on the project. Parents Erin Murphy and Sue Breault contributed in extraordinary ways with their dedicated support.

Into Our World Day was a huge success with over 200 people in attendance. The day cost only $5 per family thanks to the support of JunglePlex (http://www.jungleplex.com/) and included sports, games, arts & crafts, face painting, a moonwalk, raffle prizes donated by 23 local sponsors, and entertainment showcasing Brett Outchcunis (a.k.a. “Ooch”) of Ninepoints Entertainment (http://www.ninepoints.net/), a captivating Yo-Yo professional and life skills coach for children. Parents reconnected with their inner child, left their to-do lists behind and focused on truly “being” with their children. The kids had a blast playing and competing with their parents, and many families expressed interest in future events!

The Creative Kids were proud of the difference they made for families and are considering other ways to give back to the community. They donated proceeds to Autism Speaks which funds autism research & awareness. If you are interested in unlocking the self-expression and leadership skills of children, or if you’d like to find out how your child can get involved, please contact Lynne Richardson at Lmrich@verizon.net. If you are interested in learning how “Ooch” can make a difference in your child’s school, he can be reached directly at brettoutch@gmail.com.

The Creative Kids (except for little Ainsley Richardson in the front row) were or are students of Indian Brook Elementary School - the first (and so far only) Take Pride School in Massachusetts.

Hyattsville Elementary School Students Attend Signing Ceremony in Washington, DC

2008-11-03T09:25:00.004-05:00

On October 28, 2008, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne signed an order extending the authorization of Take Pride in America® within the Department of the Interior through the year 2010. The program, designed to encourage volunteerism on public lands, had been set to expire on November 1, 2008. As part of the ceremony we invited students from Hyattsville Elementary School in Hyattsville, Maryland, one of our Take Pride Schools, to attend the ceremony. Mrs. Amelia Davis, the TAG (Talented and Gifted) Coordinator/Library Media Specialist, and 2 of her 6th grade TAG students, Jose Mendoza Duarte and Billy Kennedy III, were able to accept our invitation to attend. We asked them to tell us in their own words about their experience. This is what they had to say (actual submissions).

Jose Mendoza Duarte

In the beginning we left Hyattsville Elementary School to go to Washington, DC. I was site seeing, like I saw the monument and some other stuff. When we entered the parking lot and got out the car it was pretty windy, then we crossed the street entered the building but before we got on the elevator we had to go through security to see if we had anything illegal. I got checked and I was OK (of course). We went up the elevator to the 6th floor. We put our coats in an office and used the restroom. We walked to the Secretary of Interior’s office and it was big!!! It had the first president’s (George Washington’s) desk!!! He showed Billy and me the papers he was going to sign and he asked for 2 pens; I wondered why. When he signed the papers, he used one pen with his first name and with the other pen he signed his last name. I got one of the pens and Billy got the other. Later on we sat down on these comfy sofas and he asked us what we were going to be when we were older. Then other people talked about what they did, what happened when they were volunteering, were they scared, etc. We took some pictures and some people got rewards. We didn’t (sadly). After we left the office we got a bag filled with goodies like a cap, bumper sticker, Frisbee, pencil bag filled with some school supplies, candle, etc. I had a lot of fun and hope to go again.

Billy Kennedy III

On Tuesday October 28, 2008, I went with Jose Mendoza, Ms. Davis & my mom to watch the Secretary of the Interior extend Take Pride in America through November 2010. The day was very windy, and in the office, we could hear the wind whistling. The office was very fancy and huge. George Washington, the first president of the United States, had a desk that was in the secretary’s office. After he signed the bill, we were presented with the pens he used to sign the form. Afterwards, we were given a gift bag filled with a tote bag, a candle, a cup, a bumper sticker, a Frisbee, a pencil bag, etc. I had a lot of fun and I hope I can enjoy similar experiences in the future.

Mrs. Amelia Davis

A visit to the Department of the Interior to meet with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne was a highlight for two TAG students at Hyattsville Elementary along with their teacher. The students were fascinated with Washington’s landmarks as well as participating in the signing ceremony in which Secretary Kempthorne extended the Take Pride in America authorization. The students listened intently to the stories of other volunteers who were at the signing and enjoyed chatting with the Secretary about their volunteer efforts.

This is the second year in which Hyattsville Elementary School has participated in the Take Pride in America Schools Program by volunteering during Gorgeous Prince George’s Day. Parents, teachers, and students planted trees, shrubs and bulbs in an effort to beautify the school grounds. In addition, the TAG students at Hyattsville participated in weeding and planting native Maryland plants to protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The students took a trip on board a skipjack to learn more about Bay conservation, pollution, and the animals and plants that inhabit the Chesapeake Bay. They also displayed a “museum” research project in the school’s media center to increase student awareness of the beauty, problems and environmental importance of the Chesapeake Bay.

The staff at Take Pride in America wants to thank Mrs. Davis, Jose, and Billy, for attending the signing ceremony. These 2 boys were perfect gentleman and everyone commented on how great it was they were here. We would also like to thank Mrs. Washburn, the principal at Hyattsville Elementary School, for allowing the students and Mrs. Davis to be with us. I know that she had to pull some strings to get permission from those above her and we are grateful for her efforts.

On a personal note, I want to say how proud I am of Billy (he’s my son) and Jose. They represented Hyattsville Elementary well and they should be very proud of themselves.

If you would like information on how to become a Take Pride School, visit our website at http://www.takepride.gov/ or contact us at 202-208-5848.

Take Pride School In Action

2008-10-23T13:51:00.010-04:00

This past Spring Jericho Middle School students (pictured above) of the eight grade community service classes and the Gardening Club recently planted over 150 tree seedlings on the school grounds as part of the Take Pride in America Schools program. Take Pride volunteer Jan Porinchak, a teacher at Jericho schools, coordinated the effort with teachers Spiridoula Nikolopoulos, Danielle Dunbar, and gardening club advisor Cheryl Viviano. A 40 foot by 8 foot planting bed was first constructed under the supervision of Tim Almeida and the staff of the Jericho Buildings and Grounds department. The seedlings were ordered through the New York State D.E.C, which offers nursery grown seedlings of trees native to New York. The D.E.C. offers some seedlings for free to schools. The remainder of the over 150 trees were paid for through fund raising efforts of the community service class.

The students researched which trees would grow best on Long Island. They also studied the benefits of the various trees to wildlife, landscape, and the community. Over two days the Take Pride volunteers planted white pines, red oaks, sycamores, crab apple trees, and highbush cranberry shrubs. Thanks to the hard work, careful planning, and enthusiasm, the seedlings are growing well. Over the next several school years the seedlings will be relocated to various parts of the school grounds to create wildlife habitat and enhance the beauty of the school grounds.

The students learned how gratifying working together to accomplish a goal can be.

Buddy Lawrence, Presidential Volunteer Service Awardee

2008-10-21T13:40:00.005-04:00

(L-R: Bonnie Wright, President FOHI; Buddy Lawrence and Vivian Wayne FOHI Turtle Director.)

Friends of Hunting Island volunteer Buddy Lawrence is known for his "Midas Touch" when it comes to finding, identifying and confirming new sea turtle nests on the beaches of Hunting Island in South Carolina. So it is only appropriate that he found the first nest of the 2008 turtle season.

Buddy has been a volunteer with the FOHI for over 8 years and has contributed over 4,500 hours doing morning turtle patrols, nighttime turtle hatching monitoring, hatching inventories, maintaining a certified National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat at the Nature Center and helping out with other FOHI projects at Hunting Island.

This past spring Buddy was recognized for his outstanding service and was presented with the President's Lifetime Volunteer Service Award.

Congratulations Buddy! And a special thanks to our friends at Hunting Island State Park and to the amazing volunteers who make up the Friends of Hunting Island.

(L-R: Vivian Wayne, FOHI Turtle Director; Bonnie Wright, President FOHI; Buddy Lawrence and Jeff Atkins, Park Manager.)

NPLD: Toyota Employees at the Salato Wildlife Education Center

2008-09-27T15:58:00.000-04:00

The Take Pride in America® Voluntour Across America, Heartland Voluntour arrived at the Salato Wildlife Education Center Saturday, Sept. 27 to join employees from Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Georgetown, Ky. for their National Public Lands Day event.

More than 200 employees, many arriving after their overnight shifts, were joined by volunteers from Franklin County High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC and football team, as well as 17 international students from Kentucky State University, to pick up litter, build trails, and pull invasive weeds.

The efforts added to the education center’s Toyota sponsored “Habitrek” trail and a lot of sweat went into clearing invasive honeysuckle, winter creeper vine and privet bushes that were taking over the area behind the black bear exhibit. That required muscle and something called a weed wrench to remove the thick roots. On the hill in front of the exhibit, another team was digging deep holes for rain ponds and building a berm to keep rains from flooding the bear exhibit.

Toyota, sponsor of Voluntour Across America, has a corporate philosophy of giving back to the community, according to one of the plants vice presidents, Takao Gonno. “The concept is called Shakai Koken which translates meaning social contribution,” Gonno said.

The big event in Kentucky marked the end of the 2008 Voluntour Across America and the “Heartland Voluntour” which covered more than 2,900 miles and six states recognizing and participating in volunteer events on public lands.

Students from Kentucky University's CASS program.

Franklin County High School Football Team.

Toyota employees and family take part in a variety of activities.

Working on the Habitrek trail.

Ohio State University & Keep Columbus Beautiful

2008-09-23T20:31:00.008-04:00

Columbus, Ohio was recently named one of the cleanest cities in America...that can be attributed in part to the efforts of Keep Columbus Beautiful. Today KCB partnered with the Ohio State University Students Engaged in Responsible Volunteering for their annual Community Commitment day of service. Over 1,500 OSU freshman participate in this event aimed at getting college students involved in the local community, and it is one of the largest service events held on a college campus.

Buckeyes gathered early to receive assignments that ranged from helping local youth, serving meals and outdoor clean up. KCB organized the outdoor clean up portion of the event, and nearly 600 students participated in litter removal and beautification projects in neighborhoods surrounding the OSU campus.

Event organizers, Jack Bruce, Mike Eizyk and Cristen Porter (pictured below) did an amazing job coordinating this effort.

Sherri Palmer, along with the KCB staff also did an excellent job organizing the students into groups and getting them sent out into neighborhoods armed with litter picker-uppers, trash bags, gloves and other helpful tools.

Ice Age Trail: Lapham Peak

2008-09-20T19:36:00.001-04:00

Getting families to get outside and enjoy nature together was the goal of the event hosted by REI and the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation. And with 30 parents and children joining volunteer organizers, Frank and Russ for a 1.5 mile hike at Lapham Peak near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that goal was met.

Lapham Peak is the highest in the county and is a favorite recreation spot for many locals. Visitors hike, backpack, snowshoe, cross country ski and camp at this 1,000 acre state park.

Volunteer naturalist Mike Fort lead the hike and explained the prairie restoration project that volunteers from the Foundation, along with the Friends of Lapham Peak have been working on for many years. Participants had an opportunity to collect seeds that will be planted along the trail as a part of the restoration efforts. Kids experience nature first hand walking along the well groomed trail, looking to the sky as a flock of geese flew by and chasing a little frog in the grass.

Cochran-Fountain City FFA & the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

2008-09-18T19:30:00.000-04:00

The morning started early, but the students of Cochran-Fountain City and the staff from the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge were enthusiastic and cheerful. We met at the Lower Spring Lake Landing, just outside of Buffalo City, Wisconsin to take boats to one of the islands that students from the school's Future Farmers of America chapter spent time volunteering on.

The islands were constructed through the Environmental Management Program to restore habitat and diversity to the 500 acre backwater lake that is located on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River. Restoration of these islands is crucial to the natural habitat and migrating birds.

Students from the FFA chapter participated in a variety of activities through out the refuge. They worked with Refuge staff to remove two full pick-up trucks full of young purple loosestrife (an invasive species), documenting plant species during the growth season and loosestrife beetle propagation. Our visit to Water Snake Island showcased one of the biggest projects taken on by the students...the planting, tubing and matting nearly 1,000 native floodplain forest trees!

It was the first time students had returned to the island since planting the young trees, so to see their progress was exciting.

Thanks to the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge for their help and amazing boat driving skills! And thank you to Chris Jumbeck, the FFA advisor and teacher at Cochran-Fountain City.

Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

2008-09-16T23:21:00.000-04:00

The Voluntour made its way to the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City, IA, today. Once we turned on to the road that entered the Refuge, I felt like I had been sent back in time. The prairie grass was tall and waving in the wind. The view was stupendous - a real view of nature without a building to block it. We followed the road to the Learning Center and even this was developed to fit into the natural habitat. The building is built into the hill and ground to keep the aesthetic feel of the surrounding landscape.

Al Murray, volunteer coordinator at the Refuge, met us and showed us the video that all students involved in their Environmental Education program see before they do anything else at the Refuge. The video gave the history of how the prairie has come full circle – at least on the 5500 acres that make up the Refuge. The Refuge prides itself on bringing back the prairie, from the prairie grass and native species of plants to the wildlife, as it was over a hundred years ago.

The students from Emerson Middle School were helping to tag Monarch butterflies. We got a chance to see how this works. Each student is given a butterfly net and taken into the butterfly garden. They wait patiently and watch until a butterfly lands on one of the many plants. Once they catch the butterfly in their net, Refuge staff note its sex, the person who caught it, places a tag on it, and sets it free. The tagging is done because the Refuge is the mid-point of the Monarchs migration route to Mexico. When they make it to Mexico and are caught, the tag is checked and the Refuge is notified if one of their tags is found. The Refuge will then send a certificate to the school of the child who tagged that butterfly.

The Refuge has approximately 60 volunteers. These volunteers help to maintain the Monarch butterfly garden, take care of greeting visitors, managing the bookstore, and leading some of the Environmental Education programs. Below, volunteers Arleen Vander Ploeg and David Wharff are joined with Refuge Manager, Nancy Gilbertson and Volunteer Coordinator, Al Murray.

Al took us around the Refuge to show us some bison. Unfortunately for us, they were not to be seen. The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is an awesome place to visit. The volunteers and staff are all welcoming and helpful. The views from the many areas of the Refuge are something to behold. The photos are good, but they don’t do justice to the real thing.

Dowling Catholic High School

2008-09-16T22:47:00.000-04:00

This morning we had the pleasure of meeting a handful of outstanding students and faculty at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa. Dowling signed on as a Take Pride in America School in 2007.

We met with teacher Karen Soliday and Assistant Principal, Dave Marcouiller, and students, Scott Fitzpatrick, Josh Holtkamp, Robyn Tong, Noel Kutz, Alivia Tison, Jill Bialzak and Hayle Streff.

Robyn, Noel, Alivia, Jill and Hayle are student VIP leaders. VIP, or Volunteer Initiative Program, works to get students involved in volunteer activities in their local community. The program has about 75 core students, but most volunteer opportunities are open to the entire student body. On September 27th, nearly 100 students and faculty from Dowling will venture up to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to participate in flood recovery efforts.

Josh and Scott help operate the Home Recycling Exchange, a place for members of the community to bring large, unwanted home items to be recycled or re-used. So far over 1500 tons of material have been recycled. Because of these student's efforts, these items are taken care of responsibly, instead of being illegally dumped on our public lands.

Thank you Ms. Soliday for making our visit possible!

Saylorville Lake

2008-09-15T21:28:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the road! After a rainy start in Missouri, it was great to see the sun and Saylorville Lake. Saylorville Lake is a man-made lake operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, that is just 11 miles north of Des Moines, Iowa. We were greeted by two of Saylorville Lake's outstanding volunteers...John and Betty Turner. The Turner's have been volunteering at Saylorville Lake for 8 years and have accumulated over 2800 hours of volunteer service!We quickly found out that the Turner's are just one example of outstanding volunteer service at the lake. All of the volunteers at Saylorville Lake pitch in and help out where needed, and don't let anything stop them from serving. One volunteer, Mark McGrew is currently recovering from a heart transplant, and can't wait to return to the lake to volunteer. Prior to his surgery, he could be found doing a variety of things...from driving a tractor to putting up bulletin boards. It's because of these dedicated volunteers that every visitor's experience to Saylorville lake is enjoyable.

Natural Resource Volunteers, Will and Judy Carter, spend most of their time pruning, mulching, raking and clearing trails, but today they helped out by picking up new maintenance trucks for the lake. For the volunteers at Saylorville, every job is in their job description.A special thanks to Emily Coffin and the staff of Saylorville Lake for making our visit possible. It was great to see the "old school" Take Pride in America logo at the visitors center.

Face of America: Hawai'i Revisited

2008-08-11T14:41:00.000-04:00

Take Pride in America Executive Director Katie Loovis joins Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts staff and supporters for an evening commemorating Face of America: Hawai`i Revisited (a live performance as part of an original series featuring music and dance to inspire deeper appreciation of our nation's natural and cultural resources). The young gentleman in the picture, Mitchell Pan, son of Gary Pan, selected Wolf Trap Foundation as a grant recipient from his family's foundation - clearly we have a wise philanthropist and budding Take Pride in America leader in our midst!

For more information on the evening performance - Hawai`i Revisited - at Wolf Trap, visit: http://www.wolf-trap.org/Home/Find_Performances_and_Events/Performance/08Filene/0805show08.aspx

For more information about Wolf Trap's Face of America series, visit: http://www.wolftrap.org/Learn_About_Wolf_Trap/Artistic_Initiatives/Face_of_America_Series.aspx

For more information about the PBS broadcast of Great Performances - Dance in America: Wolf Trap's Face of America, visit: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/shows/wolftrap/dances.html

For more information about the Wolf Trap Foundation, visit: http://www.wolf-trap.org/

LA Conservation Corps

2008-07-14T13:07:00.000-04:00

LA Conservation Corps leadership Bruce Saito and Dan Knapp graciously hosted Take Pride in America Executive Director Katie Loovis on several site visits in July throughout the Los Angeles area.

One stop was at a national forest where a U.S. Forrest Service leader Fabian Garcia introduced Katie to a group of conservation corps student volunteers that are a part of the Southern California Consortium - an environmental education program engaging disadvantaged youth in the outdoors.

During the visit, Katie observed the students volunteering in a compelling tree planting project. The students formed a human chain to transport the planted seedlings into the truck to ship to northern california to plant post-wildfires - a meaningful outdoor project in nature for the students that also yielded tangible results helping in the long-term recovery in northern California.

Yuma group has outstanding cleanup year!

2008-07-07T16:00:00.000-04:00

Last year, the Yuma (AZ) Bureau of Reclamation office had a banner year in their cleanup efforts of the Colorado River and nearby canals.

Consider this, below is an email from Jack Simes, detailing all of the work they accomplished.

With the help of 30 other agencies we had 809 volunteers show up at our six events
and with support from Take Pride in America we collected: 526 tons of
trash and deposited that in to a proper landfill; recycled 2,253 tires;
recycled 46 abandoned automobiles; recycled 7 abandoned recreation
trailers and 1 RV; recycled 6 tons of scrap metal; and recycled 30
gallons of used motor oil.

These pictures are evidence of what a man-made disaster in the desert looks like -
a real mess.

These pictures and statistics show the real need for volunteers to help take care of our land. Jack, as always, your group never ceases to amaze us!

Boy Scouts of America ArrowCorps5 Conservation Project

2008-07-07T15:52:00.000-04:00

In preparation for a week of service to the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, nearly 60 members of the Boy Scouts of America Honor Society, the Order of the Arrow, recently completed their Conservation USA Training (on June 21).

The CUSA Trained individuals then served as Squad Leaders as members of the ArrowCorps5 conservation project on June 22-27, 2008.

Projects were conducted on two districts of the National Forest and were unique to its operations. The James River District offered participants the opportunity to construct a new five-mile horseback trail system. While the Warm Springs District project required arrowmen the chance to construct a much-needed trail from the park Marina to its beach about a mile in distance, refurbish minor trails and clear campsites of invasive plant species.

The 60 Squad Leaders supervised over 400 other volunteers conducting over 71,000 hours of service resulting in difficult hand construction of 8.2 miles of new multi-user trails (some of which has been renamed the ArrowCorps Loop), 6 new walk-in campsites,
large information bulletin boards, and 86 trail signs.

http://www.event.oa-bsa.org/events/arrowcorps5/index.php?p=info

George B. Hartzog

2008-07-03T13:54:00.000-04:00

The entire Take Pride organization mourns the recent loss of George B. Hartzog. The National Park Service offered a nice tribute to George, and his legacy, in a recent press release. Please see below...

National Park Service mourns the passing of a great leader and visionary
Former NPS Director George Hartzog leaves a broad legacy of accomplishment

George B. Hartzog, Jr., March 17, 1920 – June 27, 2008, served as the seventh director of the National Park Service (NPS). During his nine-year tenure, 1964 to 1973, Hartzog led the largest expansion of the National Park System in its history. During those nine years, seventy-two sites were added to the National Park System, sites that included national parks, historical and archeological monuments, recreation areas, seashores, riverways, memorials, and cultural units celebrating minority experiences. Hartzog was a visionary and his efforts went a long way in enlarging the agency’s role in urban recreation, historic preservation, interpretation, and environmental education.

“George Hartzog was one of the great champions of the National Park Service,” said NPS Director Mary A. Bomar. “His vision of what the national parks should be and should mean to the American people left an indelible mark on the agency he so loved and believed in. His goal of making the National Park Service relevant to people who previously had been overlooked, especially minorities and women, has strengthened our agency.”

“I was fortunate to have known Mr. Hartzog, he truly inspired me early in my career as he did so many others who knew him through the impact of his legacy. Once I assumed my Directorship - we got to know each other personally then I found myself truly inspired by him -his big ideals of public service, as well as his passion for the National Park Service and its employees. My special memory of him was at the White House this past Christmas celebrating our National Parks --he was so happy at that event.
Our hearts go out to his wife Helen and their children who I know will miss him greatly. His National Park Service family will miss him too, but we all thank him for helping make us what we are today.”

Hartzog joined the NPS in 1946, when he entered the service as an Attorney. Field assignments as Assistant Superintendent at Great Smoky Mountains and Rocky Mountains national parks came along soon after. While serving in St. Louis, he brought to completion one of America’s most recognizable landmarks, the Gateway Arch.
Former Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall noted "Hartzog was able to leave behind a legacy that to this day is unsurpassed in the amount of land acquired, and the amount of legislation passed to protect public lands.” He described Hartzog as a reminder "of the glories of public service and the legacies our best bureaucrats leave to future generations."

There are many achievements as NPS Director that Hartzog was proud of, but it was his resolve that the NPS should reflect the Nation’s increased awareness for minorities that might stand the highest in many people’s eyes. Hartzog made it a high priority to advance programs that would include minorities. During his tenure he named the first African American park superintendent, the first female superintendent from the career ranks, the first Native American superintendent, and the first African American chief of a major U.S. police department. – the United States Park Police.

Former NPS Director James Ridenour noted, “George Hartzog was one of a kind. He probably had a closer relationship with Members of Congress than any director, before or after, during his years of leadership of the National Park Service. His was common sense
leadership. Most of us who have led the NPS have felt the weight of political pressure from both parties as we carried out our duties but George had a way doing the right thing despite those pressures. He will be missed.”

National Wildlife Refuges are now on Google Earth

2008-07-01T14:42:00.000-04:00

For anyone interested in National Wildlife Refuges, or just plain curious, you should check out Google Earth. Take Pride's very own Just Kintz shared this with me this morning, and I thought it was useful enough to pass along. Read the full details HERE on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's website.

Google Earth, the most popular virtual globe on the Internet today, is now serving the boundaries of national wildlife refuges. Anyone using Google Earth can see the locations of national wildlife refuges simply by navigating to "Places of Interest" in the "Layers" palette, and selecting "US Fish and Wildlife Service boundary" under the "Parks and Recreation Areas" category.

To virtually "fly to" a refuge, Web users can enter the name of a town (and the state) located near a refuge under the "search" tab on the upper left side of the screen. Use the "zoom" tools in the upper right side of the screen to view the refuge boundary (or boundaries).

The appearance of refuge boundaries is the just the start of building public awareness about the Refuge System via Google Earth. By early next year or sooner, each refuge boundary on Google Earth will be linked to a pop-up window with brief descriptions of refuges, including visitor information, a photo and a link to the refuge Web site. Other data fields will be offered, including information on trails, roads and public facilities.

DISNEY MINNIE GRANTS 2008

2008-06-24T14:00:00.000-04:00

Youth Service America and Disney are pleased to launch a second round of Disney Minnie Grants to engage children and youth, ages 5-14 as community volunteers.

The selected applications will receive $500 to support their youth-led service projects. The deadline is August 30 and projects must take place October 15-November 15, 2008.

Grantees from the first round of Disney awards of 2008 are eligible to apply.

Visit www.YSA.org/awards for more information and application materials.

You can review past award recipients from all over the world at:

http://ysa.org/AwardsGrants/DisneyMinnieGrants/DisneyMinnieGrantees2008/tabid/292/Defau lt.aspx

NPLD Tour Grants Application Extension

2008-06-20T09:53:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,
We just received this from our friends over at National Public Lands Day, and I wanted to make sure you had all seen it.

National Public Lands Day Tour Grants 2008
Deadline for Pre-Applications is Now June 27, 2008
The deadline for grant applications for the 4th annual National Public Lands Day Tour , sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. has been extended to Friday, June 27, 2008.

Grantees will be awarded $1,000.00 to assist with planning and materials for their upcoming National Public Lands Day project on September 27, 2008.

Grants will be delivered in person by National Public Lands Day Program Director, Robb Hampton, in a hybrid Prius donated to the National Environmental Education Foundation by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.

This year, the National Public Lands Day Tour will focus on the Northeast/Mid Atlantic/New England and Midwest/Upper Rocky Mountain regions of the United States.

Sites in the following states are eligible to receive funding: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Colorado.

For more information and to apply for a NPLD Tour Grant, visit http://www.publiclandsday.org/tour/2008-tour-app.htm
If you have questions, please contact Claudia Kessel, National Public Lands Day Program Coordinator at (202) 261-6478 or kessel@neefusa.org

National Get Outdoors Day Cleanup

2008-06-17T14:29:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, Take Pride in America® hosted a cleanup event at Anacostia Park, in commemoration of Great Outdoors Month and National Get Outdoors Day. The morning cleanup was held to clear away downed trees and debris from the local boat ramp, in order to clear the way for a group of several dozen disadvantaged youth to go canoeing later that day for National Get Outdoors Day.

As you can see from the pictures, there was plenty of trash and junk to be removed. It's impressive the difference that a small group of committed volunteers can make!

Thanks to all the volunteers that showed up, the local children were able to get outside and enjoy canoeing for National Get Outdoors day. Volunteers joined together from Take Pride in America, the American Recreation Coalition, and other partner organizations.

For more information on the day's activities, please visit http://www.nationalgetoutdoorsday.org/locations/detail/?id=10.

Here is the before picture...

About halfway through, getting ready to load the dump truck with all the trash...

A few of the children enjoying the canoes on National Get Outdoors Day...

San Gorgonio High School Seniors Receive the Silver President's Volunteer Service Award

2008-06-16T16:03:00.000-04:00

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne recently presented Kaylee Hrisoulas and Elizabeth Harkey with the Silver President’s Volunteer Service Award for their service to America’s public lands.

The presentation took place during San Gorgonio High School’s commencement ceremony. Kaylee and Elizabeth are the founders of a school environmental group known as Earth Savers, and have each donated over 200 hours of their time and talents to our public lands in the past year.

The Silver President’s Volunteer Service Award is one of the highest awards Take Pride in America bestows, for those who by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.

2008 Conference on Volunteering and Service

2008-06-16T10:24:00.000-04:00

I recently had the pleasure of (wo)manning the Take Pride in America® exhibit booth at the 2008 Conference on Volunteering and Service held in Atlanta, GA. The event had over 4,000 registered attendees and I think I saw about half of them during my time at our booth.

I had numerous people come by the booth and I told whoever would listen, and even some who probably didn't want to listen, about the Take Pride in America program. There were many who had never heard of us, some of had heard of us but they weren't quite sure what we did, and then there were some who knew all about us. I was thrilled that people were interested in what I had to say until I found out that most of them stopped because they saw the picture of our national spokesperson, Clint Eastwood! That's okay; I don't care what made them stop - I took advantage of every opportunity presented to talk about Take Pride and to make sure everyone knew to check out website at www.TakePride.gov for more comprehensive information.

I did meet some very special people that I would like to give a "shout out" to:

- Mr. Bert Smith, of the Center for Constitutional Studies: Mr. Smith stopped by my booth first thing Monday morning and introduced himself. He and I started talking about my son, Billy (he is 11 and smart as a whip and I could talk about him all day long!) and he went to his booth and brought back a pocket sized copy of the US Constitution as well as a folder with a poster size copy of the Constitution and several other pieces of material on the Constitution. He told me that this was material that the Center had sent to all of the schools in the US that teachers could use to help them teach their students about the US Constitution. My son and I have been been checking it out; although we haven't had an opportunity to check out the DVD that was included. That is next on our agenda. So a great big thank you to Mr. Smith from me and my son.

- Ms. Geneva Dorsey, a Special Education Teacher and Change Agent for Service Nation: It seemed like I ran into Geneva every time I left my booth to wander around the Exhibits. I finally got her to come to our booth and we had a nice chat about some of the things that we can do with the schools in Minnesota. So, Ms. Geneva, I'll be in touch so we can discuss getting some of the schools in your area signed up as Take Pride Schools. As you can see I am still "working it."

-Mr. John Parsons, Director Eastern Idaho RSVP: John came by the booth and asked questions about our website and registering events. He would then go to the Cyber Cafe and check it out. Once he did that then he would come back to us. I got to see John several times and hear some of his great volunteer stories. Take Pride Director Katie Loovis was at the booth during one of his visits and spent a great deal of time "picking" his brains for some ideas. Thanks for stopping by John and for your great ideas!

Many people dropped their business card in our basket to receive our newsletter and to try and win a Take Pride Prize Pack. Since we had so many cards to choose from we selected 2 winners and they are: Mani Hull, Interim Executive Director Tennessee Campus Compact and Lydia Ramirez, RSVP Manager Northern Santa Clara County. Congratulations to both of you and your prize pack is on its way.

I want to thank everyone who stopped by our booth. I really enjoyed the interaction with each and every one of you. I hope to be able to see some of you again sometime! Take care and keep doing what you're doing - you folks are awesome!

Pat Kennedy
Program Assistant
Take Pride in America

Grant Opportunity: National Public Lands Day Tour Grants

2008-06-09T13:51:00.000-04:00

The National Environmental Education Foundation is seeking grant applications for the 4th annual National Public Lands Day Tour sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.

Grantees will be awarded $1,000.00 to assist with planning and materials for their upcoming National Public Lands Day (NPLD) project on September 27, 2008. This year's grants will fund National Public Lands Day projects in the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, or Montana.

A simple Grant Application is due by June 23, 2008.

For more information and to apply for an NPLD Tour Grant, visit http://www.publiclandsday.org/tour/2008-tour-app.htm.

Tuckahoe Elementary School

2008-06-06T14:42:00.000-04:00

I just found these pictures from an impressive event that Tuckahoe Elementary School conducted for Earth Day.

This was a schoolwide event, with 500+ students, teachers, and parents involved. They joined together to clean up and improve their Discovery Schoolyard and the adjacent Tuckahoe Park.

The second grade class spent their energies cleaning up the Friendship Garden and planting butterfly plants in their Art/Butterfly Garden. The kindergarten class held outdoor expeditions and planted flowers in Bean Sprout Corner. The first graders went on a scavenger hunt around the school and learned about the third grade's dry streambed construction to alleviate erosion into the Chesapeake Bay. The third grade planted native plants in their meadow restoration project. Fourth graders spent their time readying their Colonial Village gardens and site for their annual fair. Last but certainly not least, the fifth grade class cleaned up around their Greek Pavilion, planted native plants on the hillside above Peter Rabbit's Garden, and planted recycled milk jugs for the Arlington Food Assistance Center salad share program.

Check out the pictures, this was a truly impressive Earth Day school project. Tuckahoe Elementary School, you guys did a great job! Keep up the good work.

I especially like the unique names to all of the different gardens and sites around the school grounds.

Great Outdoors Month

2008-06-02T15:19:00.000-04:00

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

From the Appalachian Mountains to the Grand Canyon, America is blessed with places of natural beauty where our citizens can discover the full splendor of this great Nation. During Great Outdoors Month, our Nation celebrates the grandeur of our open spaces, strengthens our commitment to preserving this heritage, and reaffirms our dedication to protecting our air, water, and lands.

My Administration remains dedicated to wise stewardship of the environment, and we will continue to protect our Nation's natural wonders. This past year, we have made great strides in helping wildlife thrive and in restoring habitat for migratory birds through cooperative conservation. Working with State and tribal officials, we are preserving important wildlife habitats and expanding the National Wildlife Refuge system. Citizens can visit takepride.gov to learn more about opportunities to care for our environment.

Great Outdoors Month is an opportunity to honor those who work to keep our natural places beautiful and to celebrate some of our country's favorite outdoor pastimes. These activities encourage a healthy lifestyle and give Americans pride in the great American landscape. As responsible stewards of our natural resources, we can help ensure that the great outdoors will be available for enjoyment by generations to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2008 as Great Outdoors Month. I call on all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities, and to take time to visit and enjoy the great outdoors.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

GEORGE W. BUSH

# # #

New Jersey Litter Free Seminar and Awards Banquet

2008-05-27T14:33:00.000-04:00

It was a true pleasure and honor getting to spend time in Princeton, NJ last week. The good folks from Clifton, NJ invited Take Pride in America® to join them at the New Jersey Litter Free Seminar to discuss the successful partnership between Clifton and Take Pride.

Clifton Mayor James Anzaldi shared his speaking time with Justin Kintz (of TPIA) and both parties discussed the merits of linking a city and its citizens to Take Pride in America. It was a unique dual perspective as both the city and the program were represented and both sides were shared.

Justin also had the opportunity to award two of Clifton's finest volunteers with the President's Volunteer Service Award. Both Cheryl Mauro and Cheryl Schweighardt of Clifton, NJ, qualified for the Gold level of the award - amassing over 500 hours of service in the last year alone.

Cheryl Mauro led her Girl Scout and Brownie troops to clean parks, plant trees and flowers. She also painted fish and other animals around catch basins to alert the public on non-point source pollution to New Jersey Waterways. Over 850 hours of volunteer work have gone into these projects and many others, the last year alone.

Cheryl Schweighardt earned this award by transforming a littered intersection near her home in Clifton. She cleaned up the large amounts of refuse, made a park out of the large island in the intersection, laid stonework, planted flowers and provided a beautiful and visible example of community action.

Special thanks to Clifton Clean Communities Coordinator Al Dubois for his vision and perpetual care for public lands. Thanks also to Clifton City Manager Al Greco and Mayor James Anzaldi for their commitment to the Take Pride in America program and to their tremendous citizens. We hope that the rest of New Jersey and the United States replicates the great Clean Communities success that Clifton has achieved.

Justin Kintz presenting Cheryl Schweighardt with a Presidential Volunteer Service Award

Take Pride in America® joins Keep America Beautiful for Chicago Kickoff of Great American Cleanup

2008-05-20T09:34:00.000-04:00

This weekend, Take Pride in America® joined with Keep America Beautiful for the official kickoff of Chicago’s Great American Cleanup, in partnership with Mayor Daley’s Clean & Green citywide volunteer cleanup. Take Pride in America was there in support of its partnership with Keep America Beautiful, and was pleased to offer its help for such an important public lands cleanup.

The event kicked off in Ping Tom Park Pavilion, and participants included: Mayor Richard Daley, Matthew McKenna, President & CEO Keep America Beautiful, Veronica Lew, Associate Director for USA Freedom Corps, and volunteers from all over Chicago.

“Take Pride in America is pleased to once again join forces with Keep America Beautiful,” said Katie Loovis, Executive Director, Take Pride in America. “It is uplifting to see so many volunteers come together from all parts of the city. Today’s volunteer force is proof that Chicago takes pride in its city, its public land, and most of all America.”

Running from March 1 through May 31, the Great American Cleanup is a program to promote cleaner, greener communities across America. More than 30,0o0 events in 17,000 communities will remove litter and debris from public lands and waterways, promote recycling, and beautify public spaces with trees, plants and flowers.

A Highlander High

2008-05-13T15:30:00.000-04:00

The second Take Pride in America Toyota Voluntour has been our most ambitious event to date and we got some strange looks when we told people we were driving from Houston, Texas to Washington, D.C., via the gulf coast and eastern shore. And I can tell you after making that long drive, that there isn't any other way to travel than in a Toyota Highlander Hybrid!

We drove 3,473 miles over 18 days and saw beaches, bridges, battleships and plenty of open road. The navigation system came in handy...especially the feature that calculates how long your drive will be (we had to do some planning to be sure to be back to the hotel in time to watch American Idol!)

Thank you to Toyota and to everyone who worked hard in making this tour happen. We enjoyed our ride!

Check out photos of the Highlander on the road.

Check out Toyota's "Open Road Blog."

C & O Canal National Historic Park Cleanup

2008-05-07T10:16:00.001-04:00

This weekend, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett participated in a Take Pride in America® volunteer project at the C & O Canal National Historical Park (Carderock Pavilion). The cleanup was held in celebration of National Volunteer Week, and was the final stop on Take Pride in America’s “VolunTour Across America,” a nationwide trip promoting volunteerism on public lands.

“Nearly one third of our country is public lands available for all to share and enjoy, but with that shared birthright comes a responsibility for stewardship” Deputy Secretary Scarlett said. “The hours each volunteer gives today are a collective force for good, preserving this historic park for future generations.”

“Take Pride in America is honored to join with several partners during National Volunteer Week to help cleanup the C & O Canal National Historical Park,” said Katie Loovis, Executive Director, Take Pride in America. “Today’s service project shows the tremendous impact a group of public, private, and nonprofit sector volunteers can make.”

The big group picture!

Everyone was pitching in to help.

A Windy Day at Pea Island

2008-04-30T13:51:00.000-04:00

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

Stop 8 of the VolunTOUR

Our visit to the Outer Banks of North Carolina allowed us to get a glimpse into the world of the winged and those that care for them. Large Ospreys and their young greeted us at Pea Island from high atop their perches constructed through the helping hands of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and their tremendous volunteers. Ospreys were not the only creature that calls Pea Island home though, dozens of birds, fish and animals make this Outer Banks treasure a special place. We had the honor of presenting a large group of volunteers with Take Pride in America®, Secretarial, and Presidential Volunteer Service Awards. We met a lot of passionate folks that volunteer their time for this island, and though we give them awards based on recorded volunteer hours, the impact of their service is immeasurable.

This group of dedicated volunteers represents over 30,000 volunteer hours! Their excitement and devotion to helping improve our public lands is admirable. A special thanks goes out to volunteer coordinator, Abbey Reibel (who is a volunteer herself!) and Bonnie Strawser.

The volunteers honored with Take Pride in America Hours of Service Awards are listed below. Click here for more information on our awards program.

Presidential Bronze Award
Peggy Eubank, James Fauth, Tommy Fulcher, Georgia Griffiths, Rich Griffiths, Win Jacques, Lehanne Kidd, Waverly Reibel, Marlene Schumm, Bill Slayton, Laura Wolke, Carol Thompson, Russell Thompson, Ann Bishop, and Glenn Moore

Presidential Silver Award
Sue Carroll, Angie Brady-Daniels, Chuck Jochen, David Kuyper, Patty Kuyper, Jay Ross, Ron Scovell, Sandy Semans, and Julie Truhlar

Presidential Gold Award
John Gilson, Laura Gilson, Dee Hardham, Debbie Mauney, Ryan Nordsven, Bob Teagarden, Bill Voegtli, and Ken Wynne

The Take Pride Bronze Award
Bill Ackiss, Larry Hardham, Ron Marchand, Neal Moore, and Lee Yoder

The Take Pride Gold Award
Pat Moore, and Stew Whittle

The Secretarial Volunteer Service Award
Bob Glennon

The Presidential Lifetime Volunteer Service Award
Warren Davis

Turtle Time!

2008-04-29T13:29:00.000-04:00

South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston, SC
Stop 7 of the VolunTOUR

On Tuesday morning, we were lucky enough to get to tour the South Carolina Aquarium and its Sea Turtle Hospital thanks to the Friends of Hunting Island and the Hospital's own Sea Turtle Rescue Program Coordinator, Kelly Thorvalson. Kelly showed us the inner workings of the aquarium, from saltwater refining processes to the proper care for river otters. She also introduced us to the fascinating procedures of sea turtle recovery and care. We were able to meet a few of the patients, learn their stories and we were happy to see several of them thriving and on the road to recovery!

We timed our visit right, because as Kelly was showing us the turtle hospital, a sick turtle was rushed in from a beach along the coast. To watch the turtle team spring into action was exciting and interesting to see. The hopes for this particular turtle were high, and we are interested to receive an update to see if her health conditions have improved since our visit. We owe a special thank you to the South Carolina Aquarium and Sea Turtle Hospital, as well as to their staff and Kelly Thorvalson in particular. It was an unforgettable experience and one that made us appreciate the nationwide effort of volunteers to locate and transport these turtles to hospitals where they may receive care. For all you boaters out there: take caution and maintain vigilance when going at high speeds both off and in-shore. Try to designate a passenger as the spotter to keep an eye for surfacing turtles. Too many of these ancient creatures are being struck by boats and a little vigilance can help reduce occurances!

Check out the status of "North Litchfield" here.

Moving North Litchfield from the truck into the hospital.

A Slice of Lowcountry Heaven

2008-04-28T20:51:00.000-04:00

Hunting Island State Park, Beaufort, South Carolina

Stop 6 of the VolunTOUR

Hunting Island's Friends group and staff are no strangers to Take Pride in America. The Friends of Hunting Island Inc. were 2007 Take Pride National Award Winners for their Loggerhead Sea Turtle program. Thus, it was our honor and pleasure to reunite with these tremendous volunteers and get a first hand glimpse at the amazing work they do for Hunting Island State Park. We arrived and were happy to once again see Bonnie Wright, Vivian Wayne and the rest of the Friends, (and to meet a few new faces). It was also great to see Jeff Atkins, Park Manager again and to meet his staff. They took us on a fascinating tour of the island and highlighted the new conservation techniques and facility upgrades that have made Hunting Island a can't-miss destination for travelers to the South Carolina lowcountry. Trails, kayaking, beach combing and wildlife-viewing are but a few of the features that the island offers.

The most popular volunteer program that the island offers is their Sea Turtle Recovery Program. Through the hard work and diligence of staff and volunteers, countless numbers of sea turtles are protected and saved from danger during each hatch. We had the absolute honor of recognizing one of the group's most impressive volunteers: Buddy Lawrence. Buddy has achieved nearly 4600 hours of lifetime service to turtle recovery and protection - sometimes even carrying them himself into open ocean! Buddy was a delight to talk to, and certainly an inspiration; we were thrilled to present him with the President's Call to Service Award.

It was difficult, (as always,) to say goodbye to our friends at Hunting Island. They personify Southern Hospitality, and they take great care of their island and its inhabitants that call Hunting Island home. Thank you for allowing us a glimpse of one of the most successful volunteer programs in the Southeast.

A Beautiful Day in Jacksonville Beach

2008-04-28T14:25:00.000-04:00

Jacksonville Beach Elementary School, Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Stop 4 of the VolunTOUR

The Sunshine State certainly lived up to its nickname during our stop in Jacksonville Beach. We arrived at Jacksonville Beach Elementary to find dozens of students, teachers, administrators and volunteers ready and waiting to beautify their school. Citi Bank of Jacksonville even let us borrow a dozen of their employees to help with the volunteer effort. Keep Jacksonville Beautiful was a terrific partner and they truly made the event special. Many thanks to Vivian, Jetta, and the many other partners that made the day so successful.

The students of Jax Beach proved to be not only well mannered and charming, but also very hard workers! We dug in with them and helped transplant a number of existing bushes and plants, removed invasive species, improved the butterfly garden and planted a number of new palm trees and bushes. By the end of the project, Jacksonville Beach Elementary was looking great, and its students were very proud of their work and their school.

We were very sad to leave such a beautiful place and caring, hospitable people, but at least we know the public lands of Jacksonville Beach are in good hands!

National Volunteer Week: Local Tennesseans Receive National Volunteer Service Awards

2008-04-28T13:30:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, in commemoration of National Volunteer Week, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne recognized three outstanding park volunteers with Take Pride in America’s “Secretarial Volunteer Service Award.” Each award winner gave more than 3,000 hours of service. National Volunteer Week is held from April 27 to May 3, and is designed to both thank volunteers for their service, and to highlight the ways they improve their communities.

Sid Davis, Claudia Konker, and Dan Lawson are all volunteers at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and came to the Secretary’s attention through Take Pride in America®, a national Department of the Interior program that promotes volunteer service on America’s public lands.

“In celebration of National Volunteer Week, it is an honor to present these three remarkable volunteers with our Secretarial Volunteer Service Award,” Secretary Kempthorne said. “These volunteers have all given greatly of themselves to our national parks, and I thank them for their service.”

“Sid, Claudia, and Dan have each made a lasting impression on Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” said Katie Loovis, Executive Director, Take Pride in America. “Their years of service are an inspiration to us all, and show the difference that we can each make in our parks and public lands.”

Cumberland Island: Wild and Untamed

2008-04-26T20:12:00.000-04:00

Cumberland Island, St. Mary's, Georgia

Stop 5 of the VolunTOUR

We were transported to a long ago time and a different era once we set foot upon the shore of Cumberland Island, Georgia. Cumberland is an island that is larger than Manhattan island and features an ecosystem as diverse as the island's history. Settled as a cotton growing area in the 1800's, Cumberland housed a number of large plantations. These eventually gave way to purchase of most of the island by the Carnegie family. The Carnegies controlled Cumberland for many years, and their control eventually led to an amalgamation of private and federal ownership. Today, the National Park Service controls and manages most of the island. They were kind enough to welcome us to Cumberland and show us around.

We traveled around the island and saw the landscape change from sandy seashore to maritime forest; massive dunes to subtropical brush. We were met by the native inhabitants: armadillos, alligators, and wild horses call Cumberland home. We even briefly spotted a bobcat in the Wilderness area. As much as the day was about recognizing the magnificance of the island, it was even more impressive to learn of the exploits and positive impact that Cumberland volunteers bring to work every day. Because the island is such a massive and dynamic area, the Park Service staff relies upon the crucial support of their volunteers to keep the island in shape and its visitors well cared-for. We distributed some Take Pride awards to recognize some outstanding volunteers. Their efforts were obvious, and their passion for Cumberland was unmatched. Many thanks to the volunteers, and a special thanks to the National Park Staff that made our visit so memorable. Special thanks to Debbie and Ginger!

Earth Day 2008: Take Pride in America® joins Keep America Beautiful for Times Square Kickoff of Great American Cleanup

2008-04-25T11:26:00.000-04:00

(Photo by Keep America Beautiful)

Recently, in celebration of Earth Day, Take Pride in America® joined with Keep America Beautiful for the official kickoff of New York City’s Great American Cleanup. Take Pride in America was there to support its partnership with Keep America Beautiful, and to present a Presidential Volunteer Service Award to a local volunteer, Malinda Futrell, for her more than 25 years of service.

For over 25 years, Futrell has worked as a community garden volunteer, for a total of over 50,000 hours of service. Currently, Futrell works with Martha Stewart’s “Garden for Living,” and she is also the founder of the 6th Street and Avenue B Garden Association.

“Take Pride in America is proud to stand hand in hand with its strong partner Keep America Beautiful,” said Katie Loovis, Executive Director, Take Pride in America. “Being able to present Malinda Futrell with this Presidential Volunteer Service Award, is a true honor and a pleasure. Twenty-five years and 50,000 hours of service should serve as an inspiration to us all. It shows us the difference that just one person can make in the community and in our public lands.”

Running from March 1 through May 31, the Great American Cleanup is a program to promote cleaner, greener communities across America. More than 30,0o0 events in 17,000 communities will remove litter and debris from public lands and waterways, promote recycling, and beautify public spaces with trees, plants and flowers.

You can find more info from the day HERE, on the Keep America Beautiful website.

(Photo by Keep America Beautiful)

Scott is Hot!

2008-04-22T23:42:00.000-04:00

Scott Middle School, Scott, Louisiana

Stop 3 of the VolunTOUR

Happy Earth Day! There wasn't a better place to spend Earth Day than at Scott Middle School. These students were pumped up for a school grounds clean up. Initially 100 students signed up, but to our surprise when we showed up there were nearly 200 students ready and waiting to get to work! Projects included trash removal, leaf raking, lawn edging, trimming bushes, planting flowers and trees. It was a big job, but with so many eager students the work went fast. Tools and supplies were donated to the school by the local Home Depot and Lowes...so a big thank you goes out to them for their support.

The students had a good time working together in beautifying their school grounds. Teacher, Ryan Martin, organized the days event and is working hard to instill the message of citizen stewardship in the students of Scott Middle School.

Thank you to the students and teachers of Scott Middle School for driving home the importance of caring for our public lands...especially on a day like today!

Great morning in Grapevine, Texas

2008-04-19T22:22:00.000-04:00

Lake Grapevine, Grapevine, Texas

Stop 2 of the VolunTOUR

Saturday morning we met up with the good people of Grapevine, Texas and employees of Travelocity for a morning clean up at Meadowmere Park. Grapevine Lake is beautiful, and we wondered if there was any work that needed to be done! But, we quickly learned that part of the lake shore had been untouched for years and it was the task of the day to clear brush, remove debris and make the site usable again. We have yet to encounter a more enthusiastic group of volunteers...these people were ready to get to work! And it was wonderful to see parents with their children, working side by side. And if one day wasn't enough, they are coming back for more on Tuesday!

The employees of the City of Grapevine were amazing as well, and a special thanks goes out to Joe, Tim and Mary Jo. Our visit couldn't have been any better. Also, thank you to Central Market for providing water and snacks. And of course, a big thank you to Travelocity! You guys are awesome!

The day wasn't without a few surprises...these two girls found a snake hiding in the grass! YIKES!

For more photos from this event visit HERE.

Taking Houston by storm

2008-04-17T18:06:00.000-04:00

Holy Trinity Episcopal School, Houston, Texas

Stop 1 of the VolunTOUR

The morning got off to a rough start (thanks to a mishap with a ketchup packet), but things quickly turned for the better once we pulled into the parking lot of Holy Trinity Episcopal School. We were greeted by middle school students and our welcome couldn't have been warmer. Thank goodness for southern hospitality!

Members of the local Chamber of Commerce, along with school faculty and staff invited us inside for a warm reception, followed by a student lead tour of the campus and grounds.

Holy Trinity Episcopal School won a Take Pride in America National Award in 2006 for their outdoor classroom program. As much as we work with Take Pride Schools from across the country, it was a true pleasure today to see the dedication and commitment that these students (of all ages) put into the program at their school.

Seriously, these guys are Rock Stars!

Following the grounds tour we headed over to Jesse Jones State Park where we hiked down a trail that these students maintain and cultivate on a regular basis. Originally their work was limited to one trail, but now, being the rock stars that they are, they are working to adopt another trail in the park. Their excitement was contagious.

We saw snakes in the grass, ate wild dew berries, and learned the difference between native and non-native plants in the area.

See below for pictures and anecdotes from the day...

We would like to especially thank Marlece Davis for her making our day so enjoyable and for more kindness than we could have ever asked for. Thank you! You get an A+ in our book!

For more photos from our visit with Holy Trinity ZEpiscopal School, please see HERE...

A message from the Director

2008-04-17T13:00:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

As enthusiasts for our shared lands, I’d like to make you aware of two wonderful opportunities.

Our friends at Wolf Trap have produced an exquisite television special that will reinvigorate your pride in America. “Dance in America: Wolf Trap’s Face of America” is a 90-minute, high definition, experience showcasing the grandeur of America’s national parks through innovative artist performances and the art of camera. The special features breathtaking aerial dancing off cliffs of Yosemite, rhythmic underwater dancing at the Coral Reef National Monument, and more. Tune in to PBS on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 10pm (ET). To learn more, visit HERE.

Take Pride in America® is kicking off the second leg of the “VolunTour Across America,” a Toyota-sponsored, nationwide tour promoting volunteerism on public lands. During the next three weeks, Take Pride staff will join with hundreds of Americans as we travel through ten states on this service/ media blitz! Consider joining us for a Take Pride in America service event in your community. To learn more about the VolunTour and other opportunities to volunteer, visit www.TakePride.gov, and to learn more about Toyota’s sponsorship, visit HERE.

In pride to America,

Katie Loovis
Executive Director
Take Pride in America®
U.S. Department of the Interior
Washington, DC
TakePride@ios.doi.gov
(202) 208-5848

Big Bend National Park Awards Presentation

2008-04-08T14:23:00.000-04:00

On March 31, 2008, Big Bend National Park rolled out the red carpet for their forty-eight spring 2008 volunteers. Superintendent Bill Wellman presented the Presidential Take Pride in America Award to Sally Jones. Sally and her husband Bob have volunteered for six years at Big Bend National Park at the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center, as well as Guadeloupe National Park.

The evening's events culminated with the celebration of sixteen years of service by Barbara and Bill Baldwin. The Baldwins have held down the fort at Rio Grande Village Campground every year from October 1-April 30th since 1992 and this is going to be their last season at Big Bend as campground hosts. Many kind words were spoken about their willingness to assist with just about anything that has come up at Rio Grande Village and on the river over the years, and how much they will be missed.

A total of six Presidential Volunteer Service Silver Awards, twelve Presidential Volunteer Service Gold Award, five Take Pride Bronze Awards, and one Presidential Volunteer Service Award were presented. Four of our Big Bend volunteers are previous recipients of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

This represents an impressive 90,576 cumulative hours for the volunteers at Big Bend this spring. What a group!

River Cleanup in Yuma, Arizona

2008-04-08T13:14:00.000-04:00

Here is a great picture we received from a recent river cleanup in Yuma, Arizona. Over 63 volunteers turned out for this event, and over 4.1 tons of trash were rounded up...including 47 tires!

The Eagle Scout in the green shirt on the far right side of the picture, is David Loeffler. David organized the cleanup in this picture, and brought together several agencies to earn his Venture Scouting Ranger Award.

White House Easter Egg Roll

2008-03-25T14:16:00.000-04:00

USA Freedom Corps photos by M. T. Harmon
Thanks to Matt for these fantastic pictures! You can see more of Matt's work on his website...www.mtharmon.com

Taking the Super Bowl by storm

2008-02-29T13:32:00.000-05:00

Is anyone else out there a football fan?

Super Bowl XLII featured dazzling entertainment, hundreds of thousands of excited people, and a thrilling upset victory for the New York Giants. It also featured the Outdoor Recreation Village 2008 – an area that showcased recreational opportunities - encouraged more active, healthy lifestyles - and promoted volunteerism on our nation’s public lands.

Federal agencies and recreation organizations banded together to help educate and inform Super Bowl visitors about the many wonderful outdoor benefits and opportunities of America. Take Pride in America® participated in the Outdoor Rec. Village, and was able to spread the word about public lands volunteerism to thousands of visitors of all ages. We especially emphasized encouraging children and their parents to get outside and have fun.
The trip was a perfect opportunity to bring together football fans of all ages, and promote volunteerism.

Over the Super Bowl weekend, Take Pride was able to speak with hundreds upon hundreds of visitors, and communicate how important it is for citizens to care for our public lands, and to instill that desire in their children also.
The weekend also brought the arrival of a few government officials: Lyle Laverty, Assistant Secretary of Water, Science and Parks, Mark Rey, Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, and Alison Young, Deputy Director of USA Freedom Corps.

Lyle, Mark, and Alison each delivered speeches encouraging children to get outdoors, and Alison awarded a Lifetime Service Award to Doug Shippey. Doug has dedicated over 34,000 hours of his life to volunteerism on public lands!

Think about that for a minute. 34,000 hours. That’s the equivalent of volunteering 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, for over 16 years.

Doug, our hats are off to you! You are a shining example of volunteerism at its finest.

Volunteer of the Week---Jimmy Rodgers

2007-11-28T16:19:00.000-05:00

Local Kentuckian receives National Service Award

Yesterday, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne presented Jimmy Rodgers with the Take Pride Bronze Volunteer Hours of Service Award for his service to America’s public lands. Mr.

Rodgers has given more than 1,200 hours of his time and talents to our national parks, and currently serves as a park host at North Fork Campground, which is located on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Rough River Lake.

“It’s a pleasure to present this hard-earned award to Jimmy Rodgers, a man who has given of himself to help maintain and preserve our nation’s public parks,” Secretary Kempthorne said.

“It is our hope that volunteers like Jimmy Rodgers will help inspire young Americans across Kentucky and the country to volunteer on our great land,” said Heather Roebke, Executive Director of Take Pride in America®. “Dedicated volunteers like this are what help keep our country and our shared spaces great.”

This is one well deserved award, Jimmy...thanks for all you do, you're our volunteer of the week!

Take Pride in America joins local families for Family Volunteer Day cleanup this Saturday

2007-11-15T13:06:00.000-05:00

This Saturday, November 17th, is Family Volunteer Day, a day designed to bring families together and get them involved in their community. In recognition of the day, Take Pride in America is having a family cleanup event in Alexandria at Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, Belle Haven Marina, from 10 a.m. to Noon. The event will mainly be comprised of staff from the Department of the Interior, and their families, although other local families are more than welcome to join in.

In an age of hectic schedules, families taking the time to spend quality time together, for a worthwhile cause, helps strengthen family bonds as wells as plants seeds of volunteerism in America’s future generation. Family volunteering can be comprised of an entire family, or just any two people who consider themselves family.

Family Volunteer Day is an initiative of the Points of Light & Hands On Network and sponsored by The Walt Disney Company. The day is about fostering caring values and providing engagement opportunities that enable families to become contributors, problem solvers, and partners in building cohesive communities.

Families and individuals interested in coming out to Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve should RSVP to takepride@ios.doi.gov, or call us at (202)208-5848. Also, members of the press can call us at (202)208-6502 to set-up a pre or post event interview, or to go over event details.

In addition, Disney will be donating goodie bags to thank all volunteers for their help. So kids, bring your families out to volunteer, and get a prize pack from Disney.

--Take Pride E-News Update--

2007-11-06T11:06:00.001-05:00

Hey guys, just a quick update this week...

National Family Volunteer Day
Remember, next Saturday, November 17th is National Family Volunteer Day, a day designed to bring families together and get them involved in the community. National Family Volunteer Day was established by the Points of Light Foundation and Disney, and is a great way to bring families together for a good cause. Take Pride will be having a family cleanup event at Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve in Alexandria, Virginia. The Marsh is located in Belle Haven Marina, and the event will be from 10 a.m. to Noon. We invite anyone in the area to join us for a couple hours of good family fun! Please call (202)208-5848 for more information.

Volunteer of the Week
We would like to take a minute to thank Alana McKinney for her continuing volunteer efforts in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Alana is our volunteer of the week! She has been a volunteer since 1987, and over the years has compiled over 8,845 hours of volunteer service. That wasn't a typo, Alana has given nearly nine thousand hours of her time! Alana is a true gift to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and her love for service is obvious. In addition to taking care of the parks ranch, she also works in the gardens, as well as leads historical programs for park visitors.
Alana is a prime example of the difference that a committed individual can make when they put their will and talents behind a worthwhile cause.

New Take Pride Schools Form
Alright, so we just released a new Take Pride Schools sign up sheet. If your school hasn't registered yet, or if you'd like to share the Take Pride Schools program with a neighboring school, please check out the new registration form at http://www.takepride.gov/schools/index.html. It's now easier than ever, you can simply download the form and email it back to us.

International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day

2007-11-01T11:05:00.000-04:00

Does anyone know what today is? Today is a little known appreciation day, which in our opinion should receive a lot more attention. This is International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day, and we would like to take a moment to show our appreciation to all the Volunteer Managers out there.

On behalf of Take Pride in America, thank you for your continued work with volunteers on our Nation’s public lands and waters. It’s your hard work and dedication that truly keeps things moving forward.

As you well know, volunteering does not succeed in a vacuum. Behind the hundreds of thousands of volunteers across this country stands a committed group of individuals…like you…who tirelessly recruit, train, and support them. We sincerely thank you for your overflowing enthusiasm and your steady leadership.

Here at Take Pride we are steadfast in out commitment to encouraging volunteerism on our public lands. With your help, moving forward we will be able to continue to enhance our priceless natural, cultural, and historical sites for years to come!

Thank you again for your tireless efforts.

Remember, we’re here to help. If we can ever be of service to you, please do not hesitate to let us know. A quick phone call or email and we’re right there with you.

To find out more about International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day, please visit www.ivmaday.org

Sincerely,

Your friends at Take Pride

New Take Pride Schools Poster

2007-10-31T15:08:00.000-04:00

For all of you Take Pride Schools out there, we now have a new poster for you, promoting the program. Personally, we think it looks pretty sharp, and we'd love to share it with you and your school! So if you're a Take Pride School, or even interested in the program, let us know and we'd be happy to send you a few of the posters.

They're about 2x3, and are a great size for hanging in the halls or classroom.

By the way, if your school hasn't partnered with us yet, you can always find more information on our website...or sign up...HERE

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Leave a comment and let us know what you think about the new poster...

Pi Beta Phi students restore local river

2007-10-19T15:26:00.000-04:00

Over 67 students from Pi Beta Phi School in Tennessee recently spent an afternoon volunteering at three different sites on the Little River (Great Smoky Mountains National Park).

They worked to remove the rock dams that visitors to the park have built over time. The constructed river dams and channels in the river disturb local fishes breeding habits, along with critical habitats for aquatic invertebrates and stream dwelling salamanders.

Local park visitors had built the dams and water channels to create space for tubing down the river, not knowing the effect it would have on the river as a whole.

Great work guys! It looks like they were able to have a good time as well. Check out the photo stream, you can really see a difference.

One of the best parts about the whole day was that no one busted any fingers or toes! Believe me, that’s no small feat.

Wrapping up our first "VolunTour Across America"

2007-10-09T14:10:00.000-04:00

Well, we've arrived safe and sound back in Washington, D.C. after a very long and successful VolunTOUR on the West Coast!

We kicked off our tour pitching in at a National Public Lands Day event in Golden Gate National Park Recreation Area. We then journeyed north in our official VolunTour Toyota Prius for several other events, taking us all the way up the Pacific coast to Washington state. The west coast is a beautiful part of the country and I will always treasure the time I spent out there meeting such dedicated citizens and stewards of our land.

We could not have done this without the support from the event organizers and volunteers. It was an honor meeting each and every one of you. I was so inspired visiting with volunteers young and old; from Freemont Middle School students to retired military chaplains, your spirit of giving back represents what makes America so great.

So while this does mark the end of our first VolunTour Across America, it won't be our last! We look forward to working with and visiting as many of you as we can in the future. Send us a line if you'd like to partner with us or get involved in future trips.

Once again...Thank you all!

---Heather

VolunTouring to Mount Rainier

2007-10-07T01:06:00.000-04:00

Today we visited Mount Rainier National Park. Mount Rainier is located in Central Washington state and is recovering from extremely destructive flooding that took place in November 2006 which you can learn more about HERE:

We were honored to meet with the Mount Rainier National Park Volunteer Coordinator Kevin Bacher who was gracious enough to outline the park's exemplary volunteer program and show us around the park. We were joined by Jill Baum, who is leading the Student Conservation Association Mount Rainier Recovery Effort.

What was most impressive was the way the park has built partnerships with the community in its recovery and the outpouring of support from the volunteers. Tens of thousands of hours were contributed by over 1,500 volunteers this year rebuilding the trails and campsites that were destroyed by the floods.

Our thanks to Kevin Bacher and Jill Baum for their time and dedication. Our best wishes for a continued recovery at this beautiful site!

Here are a couple shots

Lisa Young, Kevin Bacher, Heather Roebke, and Jill Baum at the Paradise Visitor Center

Umpqua River Cleanup

2007-10-05T10:10:00.000-04:00

Today we joined students from Fremont Middle School and Riddle Education Center for a cleanup of the Umpqua River in Roseburg, Oregon.

It was a pretty chilly morning, but we had a great turnout with lots of energized students ready to hit the trails and head down to the river.

We found lots of things to remove from the river and its banks, including a car tire! Fremont Middle and Riddle are both Take Pride Schools and we are forever grateful for their ongoing commitment to our public lands. To learn how how your school can sign up to be a Take Pride School, click here!

Our thanks to Joseph Ross and the rest of the staff of the Bureau of Land Management Roseburg Office who helped put this together.

Check out some of the photos below:

Students after a long day of picking up trash

Fremont students volunteering

Heather picking up trash

---Heather

****UPDATE**** You can view a slideshow of more pics......HERE

Redwood National Park Awards Ceremony

2007-10-03T10:26:00.000-04:00

Today we presented Bob Deal the Take Pride Bronze Award for his service at the Redwoods National Park. Bob is a retired military chaplain who volunteers much of his time at the visitor centers. One of 184 dedicated volunteers at this beautiful park, Mr. Deal has contributed 1,500 hours of service.

It was a privilege to present him this well-deserved honor. Click here to learn more about the Hours of Service Awards program.

Many thanks to Redwoods National Park volunteer coordinator Deborah Savage for putting this event together and providing us a wonderful tour of the Redwoods Forest!

---Heather

On the road....

2007-10-02T10:54:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

As you may know, we're on the road all week out here on the West coast. This afternoon we'll be in Crescent City, California for a Volunteer Awards presentation. We will be presenting Bob Deal with the Take Pride in America Bronze Volunteer Service Award, for his dedication to Redwood National Park. Bob has given over 1,500 hours of his time to Redwood park! Incredible...

Check back for more from the road.

The above photo is us driving through the famous Chandelier Redwood tree (established in 400 B.C.).

---Heather

"VolunTour Across America" in Baker Beach, California

2007-10-01T11:01:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

We've had a great trip so far on our VolunTOUR! The kickoff on Saturday was a National Public Lands Day event at Baker Beach, an area within Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco.

Volunteers, young and old, showed up to help pick up litter and remove invasive species on a beautiful Saturday morning.

I was so inspired by the community involvement, which included the Parks Conservancy, REI, the National Park Service, and representation from Governor Schwarzenegger's San Francisco office. Check out some of the coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle.

We were blessed with warm weather and plenty of volunteers who made a big impact on this beautiful public space.

Today we continue our trip up the Pacific Coast in our Toyota Prius towards the National Redwood Forest for a volunteer recognition event.

Check out the event photos...HERE

---Heather

Kicking off the VolunTour

2007-09-28T16:50:00.000-04:00

Well, we're out here in San Fran to kick off our "VolunTour Across America," and let me tell you, the city is gorgeous!

Tomorrow morning is our first event, which is also National Public Lands Day. We'll be at Baker Beach from 9 a.m. to Noon, for a Take Pride in America cleanup event.

We're excited to get out there and meet all of our partners and friends from the Bay area. If you're in the San Francisco area tomorrow, stop on by and join us.

The address is:
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Baker Beach. Lincoln Blvd. and Bowley St. San Francisco, CA 94129

Stay tuned for more updates from the road...

Hunting Island State Park (SC), Beach Sweep 2007

2007-09-25T13:41:00.001-04:00

This past weekend, over 200 anxious volunteers gathered on a hot and humid Saturday morning to clean the beaches of Hunting Island State Park.

It was remarkable how organized this event was, and that is in large part due to the efforts of Karen Whitehead. Karen is a member off the Friends board and serves as the litter control program coordinator. She runs a tight ship, and her hard work paid off in the end with a very successful event.

My trip was complete when I had the opportunity to watch Karen and Vivian Wayne, the Friends turtle program coordinator, inventory a Loggerhead Sea Turtle nest. Three little turtles were hatched and slowly made their way to the ocean. It was quite a sight and I was amazed at the dedication of these volunteers who visit the park twice a day during turtle season to watch over these little guys.

I would like to especially thank Bonnie Wright, for her hospitality and contagious enthusiasm for this amazing state park. Also, thank you to the board of the Friends group and park manager Jeff Atkins for making my trip so memorable.

The event was sponsored by the Friends of Hunting Island State Park, the 2007 Take Pride in America National Award winner in the non-profit category, and included support from many local organizations. Volunteers from the Rotary Club of the Low Country, the NJROTC from Wade Hampton High School, Beaufort High School, Beaufort Middle School, Interact Groups, Dataw Garden Club, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Brownie Troops, Girl Scouts and Kayak Farm all pitched in to beautify South Carolina’s most visited state park.

~Lisa

Ft. Pulaski Volunteer Recognition

2007-09-25T13:38:00.000-04:00

The volunteers at Ft. Pulaski National Monument in Savannah, GA are a hard working, dedicated crew. Collecting entrance fees, maintaining the grounds, and providing visitors with detailed accounts of life on the fort during the Civil War....they do it all.

I had the pleasure of meeting with the park Superintendent, Charles Fenwick, and the park volunteer coordinator, Ron Grissom, along with some of these devoted volunteers last Thursday. We gathered to honor one volunteer in particular, Rich Puljung, who has achieved the Presidential Volunteer Service Gold Award for contributing 500 hours of service. Rich, along with the other volunteers, shared their thoughts on volunteering, and I was impressed by their commitment and desire to help in the preservation of this national treasure.

Many thanks to the volunteers and staff for making my visit to Ft. Pulaski memorable and enjoyable! I especially enjoyed the Musket and Soldier Demonstration by volunteer Bob Hatfield.

~Lisa

International Coastal Cleanup Day---Lakeshore Cleanup in Kentucky

2007-09-17T16:54:00.000-04:00

What better way to spend a Saturday than to volunteer outdoors?!

This past weekend I was honored to join the 20th Annual Trashmasters Classic Lakeshore Cleanup at Barren River Lake in Glasgow, Kentucky. It's a small town with a big heart - over 600 people came out to help cleanup the lake.

Sponsored by the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the Barren River Lake State Resort Park, this cleanup was an inspiring example of how several groups can come together to make a BIG difference. Boy Scouts, local businesses, young and old worked side by side to collect tons of trash and make their community cleaner and stronger.

A very special thanks to Kevin Salvilla from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Monica Conrad, Barren River Lake State Resort Park Manager.

I wasn't the only one that noticed the hard work everyone did on Saturday, check out the stories in the local press.

Trashmasters Classic Keeps Lake Clean---WBKO-TV

Hundreds head to lake for Trashmaster's Classic---Bowling Green Daily News

Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties (the camera broke), we won't have pictures of the event for a few days. However, stay tuned, we will be sure to add them to the blog as soon as we can.

That's it for now....

---Heather

On the road in Nashville, Tennessee

2007-09-17T16:51:00.000-04:00

I recently got the chance to visit J. Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tennessee. This beautiful lake and surrounding land is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Just 15 minutes from downtown Nashville, Priest Lake welcomes over 6 million visitors each year. I was surprised to learn that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages over 4,000 recreation areas and over 100,000 camping sites across the country!!

Thanks to their effective Volunteer Clearinghouse, the Corps has a dedicated group of volunteers to help maintain these national treasures. A special note of thanks to Volunteer Clearinghouse Director Carolyn Bauer and Resource ManagerTodd Yann for taking the time to show me around.

--Heather

Great Smoky Mountains Award Ceremony

2007-09-17T16:32:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone,

What a week it's been! I had the awesome opportunity to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee last Thursday. What a beautiful park - and what committed volunteers!

It was an honor to present Take Pride Hours of Service Awards to 6 very special people who have each served over 3,000 hours at the Great Smokies.

A very special thanks to VIP Coordinator Babette Collavo and Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson for their hospitality and their work to recognize the park's dedicated volunteers.

If you'd like to hear more about the event, you can find our press release here.

Also, the Mountain Press and Knoxville News Sentinel had a couple of good stories on the afternoon's events, check 'em out.

Volunteers Recognized by National Park---The Mountain Press

5 Tennesseans Get Park Service Awards---The Knoxville News Sentinel

--Heather

Hitting the road with Toyota

2007-09-13T16:41:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

We've got big things happening here at Take Pride. September marks the kickoff for our VolunTour across America. As part of Take Pride’s ongoing partnership with Toyota, we will be touring the country in a Take Pride in America Toyota Prius to promote volunteerism.

Beginning on September 29th we will be in California, starting in San Francisco, to tour the west coast. Our first tour will include stops in: San Fransisco, Crescent City, Roseburg (OR), and Mt Ranier (WA).

Let us know if you’re in the area and would like to get involved in the tour! You can reach us at takepride@ios.doi.gov or just respond here on the blog.

New Blog Kickoff

2007-09-13T15:55:00.000-04:00

Well, this is it, Take Pride in America is venturing out into new territory...the world of blogs!

Here in the Take Pride office, it's important for us to keep in touch with you guys, as there are literally thousands of volunteers, Take Pride Schools, and partners across the country.

In order to better do that, we thought we'd this blog a try. We'd love to build an ongoing dialogue with you as you promote Take Pride's spirit of volunteerism across the country.

Feel free to leave comments on the blog, as well as let us know what kind of things (Events, stories, pics, etc) you'd like to see more of. Also, if you have any tips or words of advice for other Take Pride volunteers and schools, leave them as comments on the blog or email us with them.