From staff reports
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday, Jan. 15, Reconstruction Era National Historical Park invites the public to mark the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service by volunteering on a trail cleanup project along the Capers Creek Nature Trail in the historic Penn Center National Historic Landmark District on St. Helena Island.
MLK Day of Service is a defining moment in volunteerism, as Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable and take action to build the Beloved Community of King’s dream. While King believed this community was possible, he acknowledged and fought for systemic change. His example is a call to action at NPS sites around the nation on this federally designated day of service.
Volunteers will meet at 10 a.m. at Darrah Hall and work along the Capers Creek Nature Trail, which was restored and re-opened as part of last year’s MLK Day of Service. This trail connects Darrah Hall to the Retreat House, which was constructed by Penn Center in the late 1960s to accommodate Dr. King and other leaders who came here on planning retreats.
Tools will be provided, and volunteers are encouraged to wear long sleeves and closed-toe shoes. For additional information, including registration, visit https://go.nps.gov/REERMLK2024 or contact the park’s Volunteer Coordinator, Emma Murphy-Novak, at emma_murphy@nps.gov.
