Reminder … Park clean-up – next Saturday, April 10, 8-11AM

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tom McCook kpwroadraiders@gmail.com
Date: 4/7/2021
To: Tom McCook trmccook@gmail.com
Subject: Reminder … Park clean-up – next Saturday, April 10, 8-11AM

Just a friendly reminder, I think the rain will hold off till late Saturday and “most of the Boy Scouts” will be delivering mulch, so we need as many neighbors as possible to volunteer.

I look forward to seeing you all on Saturday.

———- Forwarded message ———
From: Tom McCook kpwroadraiders@gmail.com
Date: Sun, Apr 4, 2021 at 12:43 PM

Neighbors, Scouts, Students & friends,

Our annual spring park clean up at Lakeside (off Pommeroy) and Royal Lake (off Gainsborough) parks is this coming Saturday, April 10, 8-11AM
We need your help for as much time as you can commit (start early, leave early, start late, leave late, etc.).

We are approaching this effort, to clean-up, pick up plastics as much at the source as possible. We want to eliminate the trash prior to getting to Lake Royal, Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.
We are asking the volunteers to walk up-stream into “crooked creek/ rabbit branch” and Shane’s creek as feasible, along with the trail along the lake and just beyond the dam up-to Guinea road.
Lots of areas to clean, we need your help, of all ages to participate, a great family & friends activity, socially distant that you can support.

Still in the pandemic, the virus is still around us, so we ask everyone to participate with face masks and be respectful of social distancing.
I have attached two forms from FCPA on COVID release and the park volunteer team activities. We’ll have copies at the parks during check-in, but it is easier if you can complete prior to.
Recommend gloves & “long pants” some plants have numerous thorns. We’ll supply trash bags. We’ll have “hand-sanitizer” and face masks as needed.

April 10, just as spring is starting to “pop into wonder” before the new growth is so thick that we cannot see the trash!
Greg Sykes will be leading a separate effort to pull a very invasive plant – “garlic mustard” into the Shanes creek area. If you are interested to support this invasive management activity, please contact me or Greg Sykes for further details (at the same time/location for check-in at Royal Lake Park, greg@grsykes.com).

Students – a great chance for service hours, please come & explore nature while cleaning up our trash.
Scouts – many great opportunities for volunteer leadership. I have many projects just “waiting for you” Please give me an email/call to coordinate.

Goals as always …

  1. Explore & discover nature in our wonderful park system
  2. Clean up our trash for wildlife and neighbors in the park

Rain day – unless it is raining “VERY HARD” we intend to clean up next Saturday; in case of extreme weather/ thunderstorms; we’ll reschedule as early as possible.

Next opportunity – May 15, Friends of Royal Lake (FORL) will be sponsoring a “trail maintenance day”
Our focus is support proper and effective rain-water control on the trail, so the wetlands are preserved, erosion is minimized and the trail is kept “as dry as possible” this is a long-term endeavor and we need your support (& wheel barrows) to preserve our wonderful Lake Royal park for the future!

Any questions, please give me a call AND please forward this email to family, friends, neighbors and interested students.

Sincerely,
Tom McCook
703.839.5205