| **News and Events: Sept. 29: Mt. Rainier Recovery Program to Acknowledge Volunteers |
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| Fri, September 14, 2007 09:50 AM |
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Sept. 29: Mt. Rainier Recovery Program to Acknowledge VolunteersMount Rainier Recovery Program to Recognize Contributors & Volunteers on National Public Lands Day
When: Saturday, September 29, 2007
Service projects 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
End of season celebration and dinner, 4 p.m. 6 p.m.
Where: Service Project Volunteers meet at Longmire in Mount Rainier National Park
End of Season Celebration at Columbia Crest Elementary School, Ashford
Who: Friends of the Mount Rainier Recovery Programeveryone who contributed to the success of the first year of recovery efforts by swinging tools at the park, writing letters, contributing materials, or making a financial contribution.
What: A variety of service projects within the park will cap off a very successful first season for the Mount Rainier Recovery project. Teams of volunteers will work on trails and other projects throughout the park. In the evening, there will be a celebratory gathering including an informal dinner and presentations.
Why: Over an unseasonably warm, two day period in early November 2006, Mount Rainier National Park received 18 inches of rain. As rivers and creeks rose, they washed out roads and trails, inundated campgrounds, and caused tens of millions of dollars in damage. For several months, the park was all but closed. Behind the scenes more than 2,000 concerned citizens reached out to help by volunteering more than 40,000 hours rebuilding trails, writing letters, and contributing more than $250,000 to the recovery program. On National Public Lands Day, the Mount Rainier Recovery Program and National Park Service staff will celebrate the citizens who have given their time and effort so we all may enjoy this special park.
The Mount Rainier Recovery program is part of the Northwest Parks and Public Lands Storm Recovery Coalition, which includes Mount Rainier National Park, the Student Conservation Association, the Washington Trails Association, Washingtons National Park Fund, the National Parks Conservation Association, and The Mountaineers. It was formed to facilitate the restoration of northwest national parks and forests. Funded in part by REI, Inc., this coalition has facilitated volunteer restoration of trails, bridges, campgrounds, and other facilities. For more information on the Coalition, please go to nwstormrecoverycoalition.blogspot.com.
For complete information about Mount Rainier National Parks volunteer program, including current news, publication-quality photos from this summers volunteer efforts, and a link to sign up for National Public Lands Day projects, visit the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/mora/supportyourpark/volunteer.htm.
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