Many of you have already signed up to volunteer for this Saturday’s Love Your Park Fall Service Day. For those of you who haven’t, here are six reasons we think will compel you to register for the city-wide effort happening at 91 parks across Philadelphia to clean up, plant trees and prepare these critical public spaces for the winter. And remember to sign up by Friday at noon-that’s when registration closes.
1) Make a difference improving your community
Whether you live in South Philly, the River Wards, the Northwest, or the Northeast, or in another Philly neighborhood, this Saturday presents you with an opportunity to make a tangible, lasting difference in your community and that’s an opportunity worth taking.
2) It’s fun
Raking leaves, planting trees and cleaning up litter may not sound like the first few things that enter your mind when you think about having fun, but again and again, our volunteers report that their time spent at the service day is a great one! From a volunteer last year, “At first my 3 daughters were skeptical about volunteering, but later they had the best time. We will definitely do it again.”
3) Help your local environment
Planting trees not only beautifies the area, but also helps absorb carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen – keeping our air clean. Composting leaves ensures they are kept out of our landfills and also creates a nutrient rich material that can be used to sustain plants and trees at local gardens and parks. Cleaning up litter helps keep trash out of our waterways which helps fish, wildlife and the quality of our local drinking water.
4) The perks
Every volunteer will receive a voucher for a FREE coffee and pastry at Whole Foods Market Philadelphia to use on November 4th or 5th. How’s that for a sweet deal?
5) It’s a free, fun way to exercise
If you like the thrill of a good workout, you can make it a morning of physical challenges; raking leaves, bagging leaves, moving the bags, spreading mulch, cleaning up litter, digging holes in the dirt for tree plantings and more! The average person burns hundreds of calories in just 45 minutes of leaf-raking.
6) The people
Make new friends, bring a group of friends, or fly solo – you’re bound to meet inspiring community leaders including some of the ones featured in our video about local Park Champions – give it a watch! And when you’re ready, go ahead and sign up to volunteer on Saturday, November 4th. Don’t delay! Registration closes on Friday, November 3rd at noon.
