Volunteers Needed for National Public Lands Day

Date: September 12, 2014
Contact: Virginia DuBowy, 601-619-2911

On Saturday, September 27, 2014, Vicksburg National Military Park is seeking volunteers to help cut and clear brush and debris from the Bethlehem Cemetery, an historic African-American cemetery within the park's interior. Sign-up will start at 8:00 a.m. at the U.S.S. Cairo parking lot next to Vicksburg National Cemetery (enter through the Fort Hill gate).

Come dressed for outdoor work! Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. For safety reasons and due to the nature of the work, clothing required includes long-sleeved shirts, long pants, tennis shoes or work boots (no open-toed footwear), eye protection, and work gloves. Those wearing shorts or short-sleeve shirts will not be allowed to participate. Additional hand tools (e.g., loppers, pruners – no chainsaws) are welcome. Come prepared with a cap, sunscreen, bug repellent, and plenty of water to drink.

The park will again provide a pizza lunch at 12:00 noon in the U.S.S. Cairo picnic area, and will include a presentation provided by the park's interpretive staff.

For more information about National Public Lands Day at Vicksburg National Military Park, please contact Virginia DuBowy, Natural Resources Program Manager, (601-619-2911). For more information on Vicksburg National Military Park, go to  www.nps.gov/vick/.

National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands. Beginning in 1994 with three sites and 700 volunteers, NPLD proved to be a huge success and became a yearly tradition, typically held on the last Saturday in September. Since the first NPLD, the event has grown by leaps and bounds.

In 2013, about 175,000 volunteers worked at 2,237 sites in every state, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico.

To learn more, please visit the NPLD website at http://www.publiclandsday.org/.