The C&O Canal Trust welcomed more than 70 individuals to the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP) in October for volunteer service and educational programs.
Kite Pharma volunteers at Weverton with the C&O Canal Trust. Photo by Trust Staff.
Groups with the Washington County Division of Stormwater Management and Kite Pharma worked with the Trust to collectively remove nearly 2,000 pounds of trash from Weverton between mile markers 57 and 59 during two volunteer events. Trust volunteers responded to an immediate need for trash cleanup in the area, providing vital support to the Park and visitors. Along with general trash, the groups removed items like a frying pan, fishing nets, metal folding chairs, and a card table. Volunteers with Shepherd University helped remove over 200 pounds of trash from Lock 38, another busy access point in Washington County.
TeenWorks repairs eroded trail on Gold Mine Spur. Photo by Francis Grant-Suttie.
In Montgomery County, volunteers with Montgomery County’s TeenWorks program repaired 52 feet of eroded trail on the Gold Mine Spur at Great Falls. TeenWorks is a longtime Canal For All partner with the Trust, providing employment and facilitating connections to valuable community resources for Montgomery County teens through experiential learning and job placement in public and nonprofit sectors.
Returning Canal For All partner, Outdoor Afro, an organization celebrating and inspiring Black connections and leadership in nature, worked with the Trust to welcome 20 program participants for a hike through history. The group began their journey in Carderock, studying waysides near the pavilion outlining the work and life of the two African-American Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) companies stationed at Carderock and tasked with rebuilding the first twenty miles of the C&O Canal from 1938-1942. They explored Billy Goat Trail-C and continued down to Lockhouse 10, which was also revitalized by the CCC in the 1930s. Aidan Barnes, the Trust’s Director of Programs & Partnerships expanded their study with historical photos, anecdotes, articles, and a poem.
Each year, the C&O Canal Trust works in partnership with the National Park Service to provide opportunities for education, stewardship, and volunteerism that are safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all. Through exciting and relevant programming with partner organizations, the Trust engages youth and adults to experience the natural, historical, educational, and recreational resources the Park has to offer. Time spent in National Parks enriches the lives of visitors, and in turn, visitors ensure that national park treasures are protected for future generations.
Thank you to the dedicated volunteers and program participants who joined us in October. You, too, can make a difference in our local national park. The C&O Canal is a trash-free park; this means anything you bring in must also leave with you. Let’s work together to ensure the canal remains a green, trash-free place for all to enjoy. For more information about volunteering with the C&O Canal Trust, please visit canaltrust.org/volunteer.
The C&O Canal Trust’s volunteer service and Canal For All programs are made possible through the generosity of individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Make a gift today to support these important programs: canaltrust.org/give.
Photos by Trust Staff
