Tennessee Promise scholars have another chance to log community service hours at Tennessee state parks and natural areas on Saturday, July 23.
Tennessee Promise is part of Gov. Bill Haslam’s Drive to 55 initiatives to increase the number of Tennesseans with a post-secondary credential to 55 percent by 2025. The program provides tuition-free community and technical college to recent high school graduates. All students utilizing the program this fall are required to complete eight hours of community service by Aug. 1.
All 56 Tennessee state parks are offering volunteer opportunities. Projects are designed to beautify Tennessee’s parks and natural areas, as well as provide meaningful outdoor experiences for volunteers.
Participants should note any special requirements for each project when they register. To view the full list, visit www.tnstateparks.com/about/special-event-cards/tn-promise-saturday. Here’s a quick look at opportunities in Southeast Tennessee.
* Booker T. Washington State Park (Chattanooga): Thirty volunteers are needed 9 a.m.-2 p.m. for spring cleaning, involving exotic plant removal, prepping the gate for painting and other spruce-up projects. The park is at 5801 Champion Road. Meet at the swimming pool. Ranger in charge: Daniel Basham, 423-894-4955, daniel. basham@tn.gov.
* Cumberland Mountain State Park (Crossville): Thirty volunteers are needed 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. for cleanup projects, including cutting brush and hauling it away from the peninsula to reclaim overgrown picnic areas at Shelter 4. Meet at the Boat Dock parking lot. The park is at 24 Office Drive. Ranger in charge: Monica Johnson, 931-484-6138, monica.johnson@tn.gov.
* Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail (Soddy-Daisy): Fifteen participants are needed 9 a.m.-noon to improve the North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Natural Area by hanging signs, picking up trash and trail maintenance from the parking lot to the lower gorge and blue hole. The day will involve hiking and probably a chance to swim. Meet at the North Chickamauga Creek trailhead, 354 Montlake Road. Ranger in charge: Jordan Sikkema, 423-326-5605, jordan.sikkema@tn.gov.
* Fall Creek Falls State Park (Spencer): All 15 slots are filled for invasive species removal.
* Fort Loudoun State Park (Vonore): Twenty participants are needed 9 a.m.-noon to remove privet and Chinese honeysuckle from an area of the park that has become overgrown. Meet at the park office, 338 Fort Loudoun Road. Ranger in charge: Lauren Baghetti, 423-884-6217, lauren. baghetti@tn.gov.
* Harrison Bay State Park (Chattanooga): All 12 slots are filled for front park improvements.
* Hiwassee/Ocoee State Park (Delano): All five slots are filled for Butterfly Garden maintenance.
* Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park (Manchester): Thirty volunteers are needed 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to assist in preserving the 2,000-year-old American Indian enclosure mounds. Meet at the Old Stone Fort Museum, 732 Stone Fort Drive. Ranger in charge: Josh Waggener, 931-723-5073, joshua.waggener@tn.gov.
* Red Clay State Historic Park (Cleveland): Twelve participants are needed 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. for two projects on the Council of Trees Trail. One project will remove an existing culvert and replace it with a longer one. Another will widen the trail to allow emergency vehicle access. Meet at the park office, 1140 Red Clay Park Road SW. Ranger in charge: Logan Cammarata, 423-478-0339, logan.cammarata@tn.gov
* South Cumberland State Park (Gruetli-Laager): Fifteen participants are needed 9 a.m.-3:45 p.m. CDT for work rerouting the short spur trail to Horsepound Falls. Workers will carry hand tools down to the falls (about 3 miles of rugged terrain, 400-foot elevation change). Meet at the Collins West trailhead, 55th Avenue. Ranger in charge: Murray Gheesling, 931-779-3532, murray.gheesling@tn.gov.
* South Cumberland State Park (Sequatchie): Twelve participants are needed 9 a.m.-2 p.m. CDT for Denny Cove Trail Work. Most of the work will be cutting, chopping, digging and dragging in terrain that is rocky, steep, uneven and sprinkled with poison ivy. Meet at the Foster Falls parking lot, 498 Foster Falls Road in Sequatchie. Ranger in charge: John Ball, 931-924-2980, john.ball@tn.gov.
* South Cumberland State Park (Tracy City): All comers are needed 9 a.m.-3 p.m. CDT as part of ongoing work to reroute the Fiery Gizzard Trail, a project that must meet its Dec. 1 deadline to prevent the trail from closing to through hikers. Meet at 131 Fiery Gizzard Road to be carpooled to the work site. Ranger in charge: Charles Greer, 931-924-2980, charles.greer@tn.gov.
* Tims Ford State Park (Winchester): Twenty participants are needed 8 a.m.-noon CDT for trail work using hand tools to cut new paths and remove exotic invasive plants. Meet at the Visitor Center, 570 Tims Ford Drive. Ranger in charge: Stacie Rains, 931-962-1183, Stacie.Rains@tn.gov.