AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST'S 28TH ANNUAL PARK DAY CONNECTS COMMUNITIES THROUGH HISTORY

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Apr 02, 2024, 08:00 ET

At battlefields, parks, museums and more, volunteers nationwide unite for Park Day on April 6

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Battlefield Trust is gearing up for its 28th annual Park Day event. Stretching from coast to coast, some 100 sites across 27 states have enlisted to participate in this year's hands-on preservation event. With tasks ranging from landscape maintenance and cleaning museum windows to staining fences and relocating interpretation signs, volunteers nationwide will take on these tasks in a continued effort of maintaining our historic sites on Saturday, April 6, 2024.

American Battlefield Trust president David Duncan joined local girl scouts and other volunteers to clean historic veteran headstones at Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Petersburg National Battlefield, during Park Day 2023.

"Park Day is not just about celebrating our history; it's about weaving it into the fabric of communities across the country," said Trust President David Duncan. "We hope to provide a space for people of all ages to come together, learn and foster a sense of connection to our shared past."

Sites linked to historic events ranging from the French and Indian War thru World War II have enrolled in this year's Park Day initiative. Potential volunteers can browse participating sites stretching from New England to the South Pacific via the interactive map available on the Trust's Park Day hub at www.battlefields.org/parkday.

Since 1996, Park Day participants have generously contributed more than 450,000 cumulative volunteer hours installing signs, building trails, painting cannons, repairing fences, mulching flower beds, and more. In addition to receiving official Park Day reusable water bottles, many sites provide volunteers with snacks, lunch and tours of the sites.

For almost thirty years, Park Day has fostered a legacy of volunteerism, generating more than 450,000 cumulative hours and upwards of 100,000 participants, ranging from committed youth groups to veterans' organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project — all of them united in the effort to uphold these historic sites.

The American Battlefield Trust is dedicated to preserving America's hallowed battlegrounds and educating the public about what happened there and why it matters today. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has protected more than 58,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War across 155 sites in 25 states. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.

SOURCE American Battlefield Trust