Volunteers are needed for the Friends of Lydgate Park and Kamalani Playground celebration of Earth Day a day early on Saturday, said Tommy Noyes, general coordinator for The Friends of Kamalani and Lydgate Park. The Earth Day project involves the
Volunteers are needed for the Friends of Lydgate Park and Kamalani Playground celebration of Earth Day a day early on Saturday, said Tommy Noyes, general coordinator for The Friends of Kamalani and Lydgate Park.
The Earth Day project involves the construction of 15 new picnic tables, cleaning the park, grooming the popular Morgan’s Ponds swimming area, clearing a net snarl and marine debris, and some routine maintenance at Kamalani Playground and at the Kamalani Bridge.
“For this Earth Day, you, your church group, friends and associates all have an opportunity to share the aloha for a rewarding morning of volunteering in the beauty of Lydgate Park,” Noyes states in a news release.
“The Friends of Kamalani and Lydgate Park have been organizing major annual volunteer work days in observance of Earth Day since 2006, because making our parks as attractive as possible results in more people actively using our island’s park system and appreciating the outdoors and natural settings,” he says.
Volunteer registration starts at 7:30 a.m. at the Kamalani Playground.
Volunteers are asked to bring their own drinking containers, work gloves and wear sturdy shoes, hats and sunscreen.
Tools needed for the morning include clean rags, brooms, whisk brooms, gas-powered leaf blowers and spring-type rakes with all tools clearly labeled with the owner’s name and phone number.
The Home Depot in the Community program is also loaning essential equipment for the project. Lunch, drinking water and snacks will be provided.
Noyes said the Backyards Bar and Grill, Big Wave Dave’s Bar and Grill, The Eastside Restaurant, Olympic Cafe and Starbucks Coffee in Kapa‘a are supporting the Friends of Kamalani and Lydgate Park with food donations. Additional food donations are always welcome, he said.
This summer, Kaua‘i Academy of Creative Arts students will develop artistic themes and decorate six of the new tables as a public art project, Noyes said.
“Your help is needed,” Noyes says. “Please plan to come and bring a friend. Learn how to build a sturdy picnic table or lend a hand sprucing up our popular local park. Meet new friends and share your respect for Mother Nature. Everybody is encouraged to participate with all ages and skills levels welcome.”
Children 12 and under are welcome to participate but must be accompanied by an adult.
Call Noyes at 639-1018 to coordinate group participation, food donation logistics, or for more information. Noyes can also be reached at news@KauaiPath.org.
Visit www.Kamalani.org for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
