A little over a year ago, my son got into trouble. (He continues to do so but this particular incident was particularly bad.) We wanted the punishment to fit the crime so we had him volunteer to clean up the Panhandle every few weeks. He was only 9, so we went along with him. Our group meets early Saturday morning and spends 2-3 hours pulling weeds, spreading mulch and engaging in whatever other manual labor necessary to keep the Panhandle thriving.
In the end, it wasn’t much of a punishment because we all rather enjoyed it. (Luckily we made him pay in other ways too so it wasn't a total parenting bust.) We stayed with it and met some nice neighbors, spent quality time together, got a good workout and always left feeling fulfilled and satisfied with the outcome. All of which is a long way of saying that this Saturday, January 26, you should head over to Muir Woods where they are seeking volunteers to do the same thing and help preserve the park.
Young and old alike are needed for projects like planting, mulching, weed removal and trail maintenance from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. with lunch following from noon to 1:00. It is the perfect time to enjoy the serenity of the woods while also maintaining and restoring the space. Bring your kids along and take advantage of the ideal opportunity to explain to them why it is important to give back and take care of your surroundings.
Groups are welcome but the Golden Gate National Parks volunteer program does request that volunteers register in advance. Also, if you are bringing kids younger than 15, be sure to read the youth guidelines and fill out the volunteer waiver. Click here for more information and have a great time doing good you do-gooder!
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