Hundreds of Volunteers get Take Pride in Florida Underway

HONEYMOON ISLAND — Joined by National Park Service Director Fran Mainella and a host of volunteers, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Colleen M. Castille today rolled up her sleeves to help clear hurricane debris from Honeymoon Island State Park. The clean up was just one of more than 100 marking the kick off of Take Pride in Florida – a new volunteer program that has residents pledging service hours throughout the year to protect and restore conservation lands.

“Florida’s volunteers dedicate countless hours to support the state’s environment and our communities,” said Department of Environmental Secretary Colleen M. Castille. “Joining the effort through Take Pride in Florida will reopen parks, protect more wildlife habitat, build trails for our families to enjoy and demonstrate the importance of land stewardship.”

The inaugural Take Pride in Florida effort drew hundreds of volunteers to more than 100 parks, preserves and forests across the state. Launched earlier this month, Governor Jeb Bush is asking Floridians to continue the commitment and pledge at least 10 hours of volunteer assistance to public land projects over the next year. In just the first ten days, residents pledged more than 415,000 hours of service to protect and preserve America’s public lands.

Florida State Park volunteers led the drive pledging more than 234,000 hours and State Park Citizen Support Organizations pledged another 37,000 hours. In addition to service pledges from individual volunteers, the Florida Trails Association committed 60,000 hours of member service and Good Sams Club pledged 1,000 hours. The Gilchrist and Marion County Sheriff’s Offices pledged inmate labor totaling 9,000 hours. St. Johns River Water Management District Volunteers are dedicating 40,000 hours to the massive stewardship campaign.

“I am thrilled that my home state, in spite of such natural destruction, has embraced Take Pride in America with such enthusiasm,” said National Park Service Director Fran Mainella. “Florida's public lands and waters will benefit immeasurably from Governor Bush's commitment to this program and the volunteer hours pledged by the state's caring residents.”

To help recover Florida’s public lands from hurricane impacts, the Take Pride in America Partners Council is implementing the Mobile Volunteer Depot Project. The project will provide trailers loaded with supplies, tools and generators so that workers can clean up beaches, remove downed trees, and rebuild trails and facilities. Sponsored by NASCAR, Cummins, Featherlite, Unilever, Zodiac, Disney and Reserve America, five trailers will be dispatched across Florida over the next year to support clean ups.

Florida is home to more than 14 million acres of state and federal conservation lands, including state parks, forests, wildlife management areas, historic sites and educational facilities. Last year alone in Florida, volunteers contributed more than one million hours to care for public lands.

“Thanks to the leadership of Governor Bush and Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Colleen Castille, Florida's volunteer pledge drive is a terrific success,” said Take Pride in America Executive Director Marti Allbright. “This is a great way to encourage people to care for Florida's natural treasures. I am delighted to welcome Take Pride in Florida to the Take Pride in America team, and I look forward to working together over the coming year.”

Take Pride in America® is a national partnership that encourages, supports and recognizes volunteers who work to improve our public parks, forests, grasslands, reservoirs, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, local playgrounds, and other recreation areas. With 100 Charter Partners, Take Pride involves federal, state and local governments; conservation, youth and recreation groups; and top national corporations and organizations in protecting and enhancing America’s public lands. For more information visit: www.TakePride.gov.

To join Take Pride in Florida or to pledge volunteer time over the next year, visit www.takeprideFlorida.org.

View more photos from the event.

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