Battery Creek High School Volunteer at Hunting Island State Park

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

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

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.