“It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
TTF is proud to have participated in the 19th Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day. Celebrating Martin Luther King day through service is a tradition in Philadelphia and beyond. Each year, we host a service day and reach new volunteers through the Global Citizen organization and the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service.
We were joined by over 120 volunteers for a cleanup at the Rorer Street and Roosevelt Boulevard gateway at Philadelphia Park & Recreation’s Tacony Creek Park. These environmentalists, young and old, came from all over the greater Philadelphia area — the George School and Solebury School, Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, Engine 61 of the Philadelphia Fire Department, and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. What did these people have in common? An interest in taking care of our shared home, the earth.
Our mission is to ensure that Tacony Creek Park is a healthy, attractive destination for people who want to enjoy the city’s natural areas. Cleanups are a vital part of our job! Chip bags, candy wrappers, gum and cigarette butts discarded on sidewalks or out of car windows ultimately make their way from the street through the storm drain system and into the creek! During this cleanup, volunteers found lots of litter, including plastic bags and bottles, as well as aluminum cans and paper products in and along Tacony Creek.
Together, we cleared over 100 bags of trash and recyclables from the park gateway and removed 30 bags of invasive plants. The difference in the appearance of the park was dramatic!
We want to thank all of our volunteers who came out on a chilly winter day to work so hard! We also want to thank our hosts and partners: Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Water, and Streets departments as well as the Scattergood Foundation!
We are looking forward to our next cleanup, which will be held along Frankford Creek on Saturday, March 22 in partnership with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Philadelphia Water Department.
For more information on the challenges our watershed faces, visit TTF’s “Challenges” page. For information on our programs in Tacony Creek Park and across our watershed, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
