Timucuan Parks Foundation Offers Self-Guided Volunteer Events For Community Service Hours

From The JAX Chamber:

June 25, 2020

Timucuan Parks Foundation and their park partners have not been able to host regular volunteer events during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was one of the ways students could earn community service hours. Instead, TPF has created a way for students to earn hours while remaining socially distant. Students can take part in self-guided volunteer events to help clean up the local city, state and national parks. Each student who participates will have a chance to win Mayday’s Handcrafted Ice Creams gift cards as well as free Hydro Flask water bottles.

“We typically host volunteer events throughout the summer as a way to both clean up our parks and to help students earn their required community service hours,” said Felicia Boyd, TPF program and outreach director. “As the stay-at-home restrictions eased, we have seen an increase in park visits and that means an increase in trash. To find a way to help both our parks and students, we created self-guided events to provide a way to help our park partners and the community. Students need to just follow the instructions to earn their hours.”

Students can earn two hours of community service for each self-guided volunteer trash pickup event. Events can take place at any of the local city, state or national parks (except for Fort Caroline National Memorial and Kingsley Plantation, which remain closed due to the pandemic). A list of parks can be found at timucuanparks.org/parks/. TPF suggests asking a member of your household or a friend or two to join in your activity. If you are not in the same household, please remember the social distancing guidelines while picking up trash.

Students will be required to complete a Student Community Service Form and take pictures to document the event. Participants should upload one to three photos and the location to social media, including TPF’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TimucuanParksFoundation/, and use #tpfcleanup or tag @timucuanparks.

The service form and more details about what to bring and what to wear can be found at https://www.timucuanparks.org/volunteer/. For more information, please contact Felicia Boyd at fboyd@timucuanparks.org or call (904) 463-1799.

About Timucuan Parks Foundation

The Timucuan Parks Foundation is a nonprofit organization that preserves, promotes and enhances Jacksonville’s natural areas through community engagement, education and enjoyment. The foundation originated in 1999 with the Preservation Project Jacksonville, Inc. to identify and assist in acquiring the most vulnerable and environmentally sensitive lands in Duval County. The acquisition of lands created the largest urban park system in the United States. The Timucuan Parks Foundation works with its park partners, including the National Park Service, Florida State Parks and the City of Jacksonville, to promote environmental stewardship, the health benefits of the parks and preserves, and an appreciation for Jacksonville’s special outdoor spaces. For more information, visit timucuanparks.org.

This press release was produced by the JAX Chamber. The views expressed are the author's own.