Friends of FDR to Host I Love My Park Day on Saturday, May 4th

VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATING AT EVENTS ACROSS NEW YORK TO CELEBRATE STATE PARKS AND HISTORIC SITES
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY (4/10/12) –Friends of FDR State Park will host volunteers at Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park as part of more than 70 cleanup, improvement and beautification events happening statewide on Saturday, May 4th. I Love My Park Day is an exciting statewide event in its second year. The focus of the day is to improve and enhance New York’s state parks and historic sites and bring visibility to the entire state park system and its needs. Volunteers from across the state will participate in cleanup, improvement, and beautification events at New York State parks and historic sites. Volunteers will celebrate New York’s state park system by cleaning up park lands and beaches, planting trees and gardens, restoring trails and wildlife habitat, removing invasive species, and working on various site improvement projects.

New Yorkers love their parks. More than 58 million visitors enjoy New York’s state parks and historic sites. Volunteer to help maintain the beauty of New York’s treasured state parks and historic sites. Friends groups and volunteers are more important than ever to keep parks beautiful, clean, and welcoming for all to visit and enjoy. This was evident at FDR’s Sandy Clean-up Day. Thank you to the great volunteers that came out to help clear storm debris that day.

Join Friends of FDR to give the bushes a shaking and the ground a raking, in addition to other park-related activities to get ready for the spring and summer seasons. Volunteers are asked to bring work gloves and water. Those interested in volunteering in the project at FDR can register to volunteer by visiting www.ptny.org/ilovemypark or by calling 914-245-4434. “It’s sure to be another great day for the park” said park manager Brian Strasavich. The Friends of FDR is an organization that works to improve the park. They meet every second Wednesday of the month and encourage new faces.

FDR State Park is a unique park approximately 40 miles from New York City. The scenic park is well known for its pool that can hold 3,500 bathers, spacious picnic areas, basketball courts, soccer and softball fields, as well as an excellent disc golf course. The park is also hosts over 40 special events annually including benefit runs/walks such as Taconic Road Runners, and Support Connections. FDR also hosts dog events like the Portchester Obedience Agility Trials. FDR is a great place to exercise, go to an event, or relax with a fishing rod. Show your love for the park by volunteering May 4th.

New York State is a leader in parks and conservation because of a long history of stewardship and generosity of private citizens. Volunteer participation in a cleanup day will help enhance these important places during lean budget times and show elected leaders that there is strong public support for our park system.

I Love My Park Day is coordinated at the statewide level by Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) in partnership with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). Friends groups and park staff will oversee cleanup, improvement and beautification projects and work with volunteers.

About PTNY: Parks & Trails New York is the leading statewide organization working to preserve and enhance a network of parks, trails and greenways for all New Yorkers for generations to come. Since 1985, our influential reports and advocacy efforts have been critical to keeping parks and historic sites open and protecting New York’s natural, recreational, cultural and historical resources. For more information, visit www.ptny.org.

Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park is located at 2957 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights NY 10598 and has its own exit off the Taconic State Parkway. FDR is one of 16 state parks, six historic sites and two golf courses administered by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation – Taconic Region. For further information about FDR, visit www.nysparks.com/parks/148/details.aspx. Visit FDR on Facebook: www.facebook.com/FDRstatepark