The third Monday in January is considered a day on, not a day off, and for local volunteers it’s often a day spent outside despite the cold weather. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in commemoration of the well-known civil rights activist, is a day of service — a day to spend bettering one’s community.
The Columbian rounded up eight volunteer opportunities happening around Clark County over MLK Day weekend. Most are outside, so volunteers should dress for working outside in the elements. Children either need to volunteer with a parent or bring a signed consent form. And yes, most of these projects will have necessary tools (and snacks) on site.
Saturday
• The fruit trees at Foley Community Orchard are in need of pruning. Slow Food Southwest Washington will show volunteers how to properly prune and then put their newfound skills to the test pruning Bartlett pear trees. Pruning fun starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at Foley Neighborhood Park, 12018 N.W. 21st Ave. To register, email lynsey@slowfoodswwa.com.
• Clark County Parks is asking volunteers to pick up litter around Lacamas Regional Park and remove invasive plants such as Scotch broom, English ivy and blackberry. Volunteers should meet in the park’s overflow parking lot at 9 a.m. Monday at 406 N.E. 35th Ave. Carpooling and bringing reusable water bottles are encouraged. Questions? Contact Dora Hernandez at 564-397-1679 or dora.hernandez@clark.wa.gov.
• For the indoorsy-type volunteer, the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District seeks volunteers for its Bookapalooza Used Book Sale at its operations center, 1007 E. Mill Plain Blvd. Shifts start at either 8:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Visit www.handsonportland.org for more information and to sign up for a shift.
Monday
• Clean the Columbia waterfront and remove non-native plants from the beach. Meet at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 S.E. Columbia Way. For more information, email shane.carter@cityofvancouver.us or call 360-487-7111.
• Volunteer with Vancouver Parks and Recreation to plant native spirea plants and spruce up Homestead Park, at the corner of Southeast 19th Street and 159th Place in east Vancouver. The spirea planting spree runs from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday. Visit www.cityofvancouver.us/cmo/webform/volunteer-mlk-jr-day-service-park-spruce to register to volunteer.
• Join the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership in reforesting Burnt Bridge Creek with native trees and shrubs. Located at the Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway Trail where it intersects with Northwest Lakeshore Avenue, this project begins at 9 a.m. Monday and should last for about two and a half hours. Contact Samantha Dumont at 503-226-1565, ext. 245, or sdumont@estuarypartnership.org with any questions.
• The Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington will remove invasive plants from Blandford Canyon. The nearest address is 5411 E. Mill Plain Blvd. Volunteers are asked to get there at 8:45 a.m. For more information and to register, visit thewatershedalliance.org.
• Clark Green Neighbors is promoting a chance to weed, prune, plant and cut at the Natural Gardens at Pacific Community Park, at the intersection of Northeast 18th Street and 172nd Avenue. Tools, gloves, supplies and snacks will be available.
