Volunteers iInvited To Get Dirty And Have Fun!

(Maricopa County) National Public Lands Day, a nationwide celebration of public lands, is a day that brings awareness to open space and thanks the many people for their support and hard work, including volunteers, land agencies, and outdoor-minded businesses.

The event is the largest annual volunteer hands-on restoration activity of its kind. It brings together thousands of volunteers from coast-to-coast to refurbish and restore the lands and facilities Americans use for recreation, education, and just plain enjoyment.

Lake Pleasant Regional Park, a registered National Public Lands Day site, is seeking dedicated volunteers to participate in a clean-up effort on Saturday, September 28 from 7 to 11 a.m. “Last year, around 300 volunteers showed up at the lake to assist with clean-up efforts and collected over 100 bags of trash,” said Maricopa County District 4 Supervisor Clint Hickman.

The event is open to hikers, paddlers, scuba divers, boaters, bicyclists, supervised youth and all types of community groups. The $6 day-use entry fee will be waived for volunteers who register outside the main contact gate between 6:30 and 8 a.m. A limited number of gloves and trash grabbers will be available so volunteers are encouraged to bring their own. Efforts will be focused on those areas in greatest need.

“We have thirteen full-time employees at the lake; six of which are dedicated to park maintenance. During the summer months, the park averages close to 200,000 visitors. As attendance rises, so do the trash levels; especially around the holidays. While the National Public Lands Day Clean-Up Effort is a great

way to remove debris from the park, it’s also an opportunity for our ranger to educate the volunteers about the Sonoran desert and invite them back for a future visit,” said R.J. Cardin, Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department Director.

Volunteers should wear light clothing, comfortable closed-toed shoes with support, hats and bring plenty of sunscreen. Lake Pleasant Regional Park is located at 41835 N. Castle Hot Springs Road which is 15 miles west of I-17 just north of the Carefree Highway. For more information, contact the park directly at (602) 372-7460 ext. 200, or visit http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/lake_pleasant/.