Hands-on Preservation Event Encourages Volunteers To Clean-up America's Historic Treasures

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Volunteers of all ages and abilities can give back to their country, get out of the house, and honor people of the past by joining the Civil War Trust on Saturday, April 7, for Park Day 2018. Park Day is an annual hands-on preservation event to help maintain America’s battlefields and historic sites. With nearly 160 sites in 32 states and the District of Columbia expected to participate, this year’s Park Day will be the largest ever.

“Park Day volunteers are critically important to historic sites that must balance maintenance needs with limited budgets and small staffs,” Civil War Trust President James Lighthizer said. “Visitors really do notice the difference after our legions of volunteers pitch in and clean up!”

Since 1996, thousands of community-minded citizens – including Boy and Girl Scouts, veterans, youth groups and many others – have taken part in Park Day. Activities can include building trails, raking leaves, painting signs, and contributing to site interpretation. Participants also receive official Park Day t-shirts and may have the chance to hear a local historian give a history of the site.

The full list of Park Day sites is available at Civilwar.org/parkday. Participating locations include battlefield parks and other historic sites associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War.

In 2017, 138 sites throughout America held Park Day events, with the help of nearly 6,000 volunteers who donated over 24,000 man-hours of effort. Every freshly painted fence or newly planted tree makes each place better prepared for the visitors who will come to learn more about their nation’s history.

The Civil War Trust is a national nonprofit land preservation organization devoted to the protection of America’s hallowed battlegrounds. It saves the battlefields of the Civil War, the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and educates the public about their importance in forging the nation we are today. To date, the Trust has preserved more than 48,000 acres of battlefield land in 24 states. Learn more at Civilwar.org.