Archived News Release: January 6, 2022 - Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation (NAP) is inviting all to volunteer at a Day of Service event to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event takes place at Barton Nature Area 1–3 p.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. Volunteers will join hundreds of thousands of people across the country who are also answering King's call to serve and make a difference in their community on this national day of service. Preregister to participate through VolunteerHub at http://tinyurl.com/Barton011722.
Local participants will be helping NAP to improve the wetlands at Barton Nature Area, creating habitat for turtles. The wetlands along the horseshoe-shaped curve in the river in this park benefit both humans and wildlife. Meet at the Barton Dam parking lot on Huron River Drive (map).
NAP continues to monitor recommendations from health officials; volunteers registered for events will be notified in advance of any changes to the workday. Please stay home if you are feeling ill. NAP recommends participants to wear long pants, layered clothing in winter and closed-toed shoes, and to bring a water bottle and leather gloves if you have them. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools and know-how provided.
NAP notes that observing the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday through volunteer service is a way to begin the year with a commitment to making the community a better place. Service projects bring together people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. King recognized this power of service and famously said, “everybody can be great because everybody can serve." NAP works year round to protect and restore Ann Arbor's natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic within the community. This involves conducting plant and animal inventories, ecological monitoring, and stewardship projects in city parks. Both staff and volunteers perform these tasks. For more information about NAP, visit www.a2gov.org/NAP.
In recognition of King's incredible legacy of service to all, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service in 1994. This day of service helps to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, address social problems, and move us closer to King's vision of a “beloved community." The Corporation of National and Community Service (CNCS) leads the annual MLK Day of Service, working with the King Center in Atlanta and thousands of nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, schools, and businesses nationwide. CNCS engages millions of Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and Volunteer Generation Fund programs and leads the nation's volunteering and service efforts. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
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