#sr 706

You've seen those blue signs on your way to the Park crediting "Mount Rainier Volunteers" with adoption of a two-mile stretch of SR 706. Well, here they are, all kitted up and ready to go litter-picking! Left to right, stalwart team members Crow Vecchio, Claudia Page, Joan Hays, Jean Millan, Daren Sachet and Jim Smith collected six bags of trash which had accumulated over a mere two months from our last patrol.

Just a reminder: Crow still needs a couple of volunteers to do a litter patrol along Hwy 706 on June 28. That's only ten days away, and so far, only one person has committed to the event. I need at least two more! We will gather at Tahoma Woods (Park Headquarters) at 10 AM on Sunday, June 28. Long-armed grabbers, bags, gloves and safety vests will be provided. If you have not participated before, you will need to watch a short training video (required by DoT). Please RSVP  to Petrina_Vecchio (at) partner.nps.gov by June 24 if you are willing to help.

It's time for another Adopt-a-Highway litter patrol, and Crow is looking for a handful of volunteers willing to spend approximately two hours picking up trash alongside SR 706, the scenic route to the Park's Nisqually Entrance. We'd like to have the road to the Mountain looking tidy for our Fourth of July guests. We will gather at Tahoma Woods (Park Headquarters) at 10 AM on Sunday, June 28. Long-armed grabbers, bags, gloves and safety vests will be provided. Please RSVP  to Petrina_Vecchio (at) partner.nps.gov by June 24 if you can attend.

Mount Rainier's Adopt-a-Highway litter team was "highly visible" along SR 706 on Saturday, April 25, where they filled a dozen (a dozen!) large bags with trash thrown out of cars by travellers. A total of nine volunteers (one not shown) contributed 37 man-hours to the cleanup. You too can participate in this community-betterment project. We contract to make three patrols during the year, and will have another one coming up in June. Contact Crow via email to petrina_vecchio(at)partner.nps.gov if you'd like to be put on the list of potential picker-uppers.

It's time for another Adopt-a-Highway litter patrol, and Crow is looking for ten people who are willing to commit approximately two hours to this community service project. Duration of the event depends on the number of people who sign up...the more, the merrier (to a maximum of 12). In 2012, Mount Rainier's Volunteer Program partnered with the Washington Dept. of Transportation by contracting to keep the two-mile section of SR 706 including the Park's Tahoma Woods frontage free of litter. In exchange for our services, Park volunteers are acknowledged by two big blue signs placed at either end of the patrol area. These signs benefit us by bringing our volunteers and volunteer program into the public eye, encouraging even more people to volunteer in the Park. We will be gathering at Park Headquarters at Tahoma Woods, three miles east of Elbe on SR 706 on Saturday, September 6 at 10 AM, and work will go forward rain or shine. "Long-armed grabbers," litter bags, gloves and safety vests will be provided. You are welcome to bring your own gloves if you prefer. In order to participate in the upcoming patrol, volunteers who have not already done so are required to watch a short training video which features a very young and goofy Bill Nye ("the Science Guy"). The video can be found on the DoT's website at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/operations/adoptahwy/ To sign up for this Adopt-a-Highway event, contact me (Crow) at [email protected] no later than September 1 to confirm that you've watched the video.

WANTED: A few dedicated volunteers who are willing to commit a couple of hours (or less) picking up the litter along SR 706 as part of the Volunteer Program's contract with the Dept. of Transportation's Adopt-a-Highway Program. Our designated patrol area is from Milepost 2 to Milepost 4, a stretch of highway which encompasses the Park's Tahoma Woods headquarters frontage and Columbia Crest School to the east and Park Junction (the railroad tracks) to the west. If you are capable of walking at least one mile and are interested in participating in this public service project, we have ten spots available. Sign up soon! The date is Saturday, June 14, and we will begin at 10 AM, rain or shine. Gloves, "long-armed grabbers" and a short orientation will be provided. To sign up, contact Volunteer Coordinator Crow Vecchio at petrina_vecchio(at)partner.nps.gov no later than June 6.

As part of the Volunteer Program's contract with the Washington State Dept. of Transportation, we have agreed to coordinate a litter patrol between mileposts 2 and 4 on State Route 706 during the month of April in recognition of Earth Day. The area to be policed includes the Park's Tahoma Woods frontage. An enormous amount of litter has accumulated over the winter, and we need your help to tidy up! If you are capable of walking at least one mile and are willing to devote approximately three hours to this public service project rain or shine, we have ten spots available. Sign up soon! The date is Saturday, April 26, hours 10-1. Gloves, "long-armed grabbers" and a short training session will be provided. To sign up, contact Volunteer Coordinator Crow Vecchio at [email protected] no later than April 20.

Yep, it's time for the next Adopt-a-Highway litter patrol, and Crow is looking for twelve good men/women who are willing to commit approximately three hours to this community service. As many of you know, Mount Rainier's Volunteer Program has partnered with the Washington Dept. of Transportation in a commitment to keep the two-mile section of SR 706 clean of litter. This area includes the Park's Tahoma Woods (headquarters) property. In exchange for our services, Park volunteers are acknowledged by two signs placed at either end of the "beat." These signs bring our volunteers and volunteer program into the public eye, encouraging even more people to volunteer in the Park. It's the classic win-win situation! We will be gathering at Park Headquarters at Tahoma Woods, three miles east of Elbe on SR 706 on Saturday, September 21, 9 AM, and work will go forward rain or shine. "Long-armed grabbers," litter bags, and safety vests will be provided. We will have a limited number of gloves available, so if you have your own, please bring them. In order to participate in the upcoming patrol, volunteers who have not already done so will need to watch a short training video which features a very young and goofy Bill Nye ("the Science Guy"). The video can be found on the DoT's website at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/operations/adoptahwy/ To sign up for this Adopt-a-Highway event, contact Crow at [email protected] by September 17 to confirm that you've watched the video.