On Saturday, April 1, 2006, volunteers from around the country will team up with the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) to help clean and restore America's historic battlefields, cemeteries and shrines. The nationwide effort-dubbed Park Day-will include nearly 80 historic sites in 24 states.

Park Day, now in its tenth year, is an annual hands-on preservation event created by the CWPT in which local groups and interested individuals can help with the maintenance of Civil War sites. Participants gather at the sites to help with activities that range from trash pick-up to trail building. In exchange for their hard work, volunteers receive t-shirts and have an opportunity to learn about the significance of the site.

Antietam National Battlefield is one of the sites that will benefit from Park Day-related activities. Volunteers are needed to clean up trails and stream banks, remove cedar seedlings, and assist with other restoration projects. Antietam National Battlefield will provide any needed equipment; however, participants are asked to dress for the weather, bring a water bottle, and wear sturdy shoes or boots. In addition, leather work gloves are strongly recommended. In the event that the weather is bad, the event will be postponed until Saturday, April 8, 2006. For more information, please contact Debbie Cohen at 301-432-2243 ext. 13 or Debbie_Cohen@nps.gov.

WHAT: National "Park Day" annual historic preservation event

WHEN: Saturday, April 1, 2006, beginning at 9:00 AM (Raindate, Sat., April 8, 2006)
Work Projects 9:00 AM - 12 Noon
Special Interpretive Program 1:30 - 3:30 PM

WHERE: Antietam National Battlefield Visitor Center
Sharpsburg, MD 21782

updated 3/01/06, kbs