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NPS Photo
The floor of the visitor center at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park received a much-needed make-over on Wednesday, May 2, 2012, courtesy of Home Depot in Crescent City. The company generously donated both the flooring materials and the installation labor. The new plank flooring is a dramatic improvement towards modernizing the old visitor center as a cheerful and welcoming space while retaining its rustic character. The partnership between Home Depot, Redwood National and State Parks, and Redwood Parks Association, the non-profit organization that benefits the parks, began last fall. Employees tackling a massive end-of-season cleaning of the visitor center, discovered a section of the badly worn and molding carpet was beyond repair and needed to be replaced. Unfortunately, both funding and labor were in short supply. When Home Depot learned about the problem, they donated the flooring for the section. Brad Maggetti, a park volunteer, donated his time to removing the old carpet and installing the new materials. However, when Home Depot store managers Alex Campbell and Michael Ekkart visited the center after the first installation, they were concerned to discover a large portion of the center's floors remained old and decayed, and immediately volunteered to donate both the flooring materials and labor to renovate the entire visitor center. Store employees also volunteered their time to help clean the center's outside decks, gutters and campfire amphitheater. "We are committed to giving our time, talents, energy and resources to worthwhile causes in our communities," states store manager Michael Ekkart. "Volunteering with local community projects is an important value for our company, and we love helping the parks. They're part of what makes the Northern California coast such a special place." The Crescent City Safeway also supported the project by donating fresh deli sandwiches to feed the hard-working volunteers. Debi White, the North District Manager for Redwood Parks Association is extremely grateful for Home Depot's and Safeway's generosity and partnership. "The mission of Redwood Parks Association is to support to our partner agencies - the National Park Service, California State Parks, and U.S. Forest Service - who are entrusted with the care of northern California's public lands," she said. "But we can't do it alone. The parks belong to everyone, and when great folks like the Home Depot employees step up to the plate to help, it makes a huge difference. Our visitors will have a much better experience this summer." For up-to-date information on Redwood National and State Parks, please call 707-465-7335, or visit the parks' website at www.nps.gov.redw or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RedwoodNPS. This News Release can also be viewed, downloaded, and/or printed here (PDF, 119.08 KB). |
Last updated: November 21, 2017