SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The U.S. Department of the Interior will kick off its “United We Serve” Initiative and Outdoor Youth Mentoring Program with a Youth Service Day in Golden Gate National Parks on Thursday, June 25. As part of President Obama's “United We Serve,” a national call for all Americans to do volunteer service in their communities from June 22-Sept. 11, the public is invited to eight sites in San Francisco and Marin County this Thursday.
Volunteers can register and choose their favorite sites or activities at www.parksconservancy.org. A waiver form is available online or at the events, which are family-friendly and geared to provide opportunities for youth with chaperones to have outdoor experiences. (See list at end)
“President Obama's call to service this summer is an opportunity for young people to get outdoors, learn from adult mentors, and to serve their country in a time of need,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “By giving back to their communities, young and old alike will help restore our parks while gaining a greater appreciation for our treasured landscapes and historic sites, from the Muir Woods and Fort Baker to the Presidio, Lands End and Ocean Beach.”
Interior's Director of External Affairs Ray Rivera will open the Youth Service Day with remarks at 9 a.m. at Crissy Field West Bluff amphitheater, by the warming hut. All the volunteer events on the accompanying list are open to press.
The environment, energy education and health are four key areas in which President Obama calls for serving in our communities this summer as part of United We Serve -see http://www.serve.gov/.
Golden Gate National Parks Volunteer Program is a model program for volunteers nationwide-a cooperative effort of the National Park Service (an Interior agency), Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the Presidio Trust. This event is being co-sponsored by Interior's Take Pride in America®, which is taking the lead in the department's 2009 Summer Service initiative by promoting an Outdoor Youth Mentoring Program with the mission of providing young people positive outdoor experiences with an adult mentors.
San Francisco Sites
Ocean Beach Cleanup
Location: Ocean Beach, San Francisco
Time: 1:30-3:30 pm
Projects: Help keep Ocean Beach clean and safe for all of us to enjoy! Activities will focus on collecting trash and human-made debris from the beach.
Age/Level: family friendly, youth with chaperones
Lands End Stewardship and Restoration
Location: Lands End, San Francisco
Time: 1-4 pm
Projects: Help restore unique coastal habitat and maintain the spectacular grounds at Lands End. Activities will include trail sweeping, trash pickup, invasive species removal, and watering native plants.
Age/Level: family friendly, youth with chaperones
Presidio Stewardship & Restoration
Time: 9 a.m.-Noon
Location: Presidio Main Post and Tennessee Hollow Watershed, Presidio, San Francisco
Projects: Help take care of the Presidio's forest, trails, natural habitats, and landscaped areas. Activities will focus on tree care, trail maintenance, habitat restoration and invasive plant removal.
Age/Level: Adults and youth ages 10 and up, youth with chaperones
Presidio Native Plant Nursery
Time: 1-4 pm
Location: Presidio Nursery, San Francisco
Projects: Help us at the Presidio Nursery where we grow nearly 60,000 plants each year for habitat restoration projects. Activities will focus on transplanting native seedlings, weeding in the Demonstration Garden and pot washing.
Age/Level: Adults and youth ages 10 and up, youth with chaperones
Crissy Field Landscape and Restoration
Time: 9 a.m.-Noon
Location: Crissy Field, San Francisco
Projects: Help restore vital habitat and maintain the historic airfield at Crissy Field. Activities will focus on vegetation management, invasive weed removal, and habitat restoration.
Age/Level: family friendly, youth with chaperones
Fort Mason Maintenance
Time: 9 a.m.-Noon
Location: Fort Mason, San Francisco
Projects: Help maintain the beautiful grounds at Fort Mason. Activities will focus on painting the wall along Van Ness Avenue
Age/Level: Adults and youth ages 15 and up, chaperones are encouraged
Marin Sites
Fort Baker Landscaping and Maintenance
Time: 9 a.m.-Noon
Location: Fort Baker, Sausalito, Marin
Projects: Help grow and care for landscapes at historic Fort Baker. Activities will include Parade Ground weeding, light trail maintenance, and debris cleanup.
Age/Level: family friendly, youth with chaperones
Trail Maintenance at Muir Woods
Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: Muir Woods National Monument, Marin
Projects: Join the Trails Forever Team to work on trail maintenance projects at beautiful Muir Woods. Activities will include hauling materials for site preparation of an ongoing construction project along the Hillside Trail, as well as deck flossing, split rail fence repair, and trail tread maintenance.
Age/Level: Adults and youth ages 15 and up, chaperones are encouraged
Source: Department of Interior
