“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
TTF hosted over forty volunteers in Tacony Creek Park for the 20th Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service on January 19. Students, teachers, friends and neighbors came together to serve our community by cleaning up trash at the Bingham Street Gateway in Philadelphia Parks & Recreation‘s Tacony Creek Park.
With the help of Logan Hope, Philadelphia Fire Department Engine 61, the Philadelphia Water Department Watershed Restoration Team, local rock band Polar Bear Lars, Central High School and Olney Charter High School students and families, we removed a total of 2,260 lbs. of trash (!!!)– 75 bags of garbage, 8 mattresses, 4 tires, a vacuum cleaner and more– in just under two hours!
Every year, TTF celebrates this day of remembrance and service along the banks of Tacony Creek, in our much-loved watershed park. This park is critical to thousands of birds and wildlife that call it home.
But did you know that the health of this park also plays a role in the health of our own community? Tacony Creek flows into the Delaware River, the source of drinking water for much of Philadelphia. By keeping our park clean and beautiful, we are not only serving the neighbors who live across the street, or the people who enjoy walking, running, bike riding or bird watching in Tacony Creek Park — we are helping improve the quality of drinking water for many of our friends!
Find more event photos here.
After a day of hard work, volunteers enjoyed a well earned pizza lunch. A big thank you to New Life Church for hosting our lunch. We ended the morning by sharing stories about our experience, and trying to earn the title of the most bizarre, piece of trash found in the park.
Thank you all for your help beautifying Tacony Creek Park! See you again next year to honor the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. In the meantime, get on our list and get involved. The calendar is filling up with exciting activities in the park and throughout the watershed. We hope you can join us!
