VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT Celebrating the Remarkable Volunteer Efforts of Keep Durham Beautiful

In March 2023, Durham Parks and Recreation celebrated Creek Week, a week-long extravaganza dedicated to honoring and rejuvenating local waters in North Carolina. Thanks to the joint efforts of the City of Durham Public Works Department's Stormwater Division and Keep Durham Beautiful, this celebration took place from March 18 to March 25, 2023. Creek Week has been an integral part of Durham's calendar since 2009, inviting residents to discover and clean up their local streams. The success of Creek Week would not have been possible without the outstanding contributions of Keep Durham Beautiful and its partnership with various environmental organizations and local municipal departments. Together, they have created a platform that offers recreational, educational, and volunteer opportunities, ensuring that everyone can participate in safeguarding the health of our area's waters. Dawn Keyser, program coordinator with Keep Durham Beautiful, rightly remarked, "This is a perfect opportunity for people who care about clean drinking water and litter-free neighborhoods to help make a difference." The collaborative spirit and dedication to preventing litter pollution in Durham have fostered a safe and healthy environment. With an incredible 4,117 volunteers joining forces, an astonishing 190,637 pounds of litter have been collected to date. The impact of Keep Durham Beautiful dedication and passion is truly remarkable and serves as an inspiration to us all. By working collaboratively with the community and various organizations, they have succeeded in creating a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable environment for everyone.

Cleaning Up Long Meadow Park

Thank you for Playing More with DPR!

Let's make 2023 a banner year for volunteering! For more information about volunteering with Durham Parks and Recreation, please visit our website, email Mal Atkinson at DPRvolunteers@durhamnc. gov or call 919-560-4355. You can also visit dprvolunteers.ivolunteer.com to view our latest volunteer opportunities.

In May, Keep Durham Beautiful facilitated a Park Clean Up at Long Meadow Park partnering with two local Boy Scout troops, Pack486 and Troops486. In just one hour, 28 scouts and parents tirelessly worked to remove 4 bags of recycling, 12 bags of trash, a tire, a shopping cart, and a drain pipe from the park and creek. Their efforts demonstrate the power of community collaboration and highlight the dedication of these young scouts and their families to creating a cleaner and more beautiful environment. Durham Parks and Recreation relies on a strong volunteer base to provide programs and services to the residents and visitors of Durham. We thank Keep Durham Beautiful for all that they have done and will continue to do!