Volunteers Needed To Clean Up Civil War Sites

(Washington, D.C.) – Mississippi volunteers will team up with the Civil War Trust to help clean and restore four landmarks as part of Park Day, a nationwide effort that includes more than 125 historic sites in 29 states. Thousands of volunteers will gather at sites across the country as Park Day celebrates its twentieth year on Saturday, April 2, 2016.

Volunteers interested in participating in Park Day are encouraged to contact the individual sites listed below.  Activities range from raking leaves and hauling trash to painting signs and planting trees.  Some sites will provide lunch or refreshments to volunteers, and a local historian may be available to describe the park’s significance. Volunteers will also receive T-shirts.

Starting times vary at each site. Mississippi volunteers may sign up at the following locations:

Brice’s Crossroads National Battlefield Site, Baldwyn, 9:00 a.m.
Contact: Edwina Carpenter at bcr.edwina@gmail.com
Volunteers will clean debris and branches from battlefield site, pick up garbage and clean stones in Bethany Cemetery. Drinks will be provided.

Raymond Battlefield, Raymond, 9:00 a.m.
Contact: Isla Tullos at mayor@ramondms.com
Volunteers will clean monuments, signage and walkways, trim weeds from trails and clean cannons. Light food and drinks will be provided.

Shiloh National Military Park Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, Corinth, 9:00 a.m.
Contact: Rachel Winters at rachel_winters@nps.gov
Volunteers will assist in cleaning commemorative bronze statues at the Corinth Contraband Camp. (Note: This Park Day site is holding its event on Saturday, April 9, 2016.)

Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, 8:00 a.m.
Contact: Ray Hamel at Raymond_hamel@nps.gov
Volunteers will assist with cleaning and painting of cannons, carriages and signs. Food and drinks will be provided.

The Civil War Trust is the largest and most effective nonprofit organization devoted to the preservation of America’s hallowed battlegrounds.  Although primarily focused on the protection of Civil War battlefields, through its Campaign 1776 initiative, the Trust also seeks to save the battlefields connected to the Revolutionary War and War of 1812.  To date, the Trust has preserved close to 43,000 acres of battlefield land in 23 states.  Learn more at Civilwar.org.