“Green Project” Will Include Sites in Philadelphia, Allentown, Coatesville and Numerous Locations in Eastern Pennsylvania Including Historic Sites
MIQUON, Pa., April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — More than 4,000 Girl Scouts and 600 volunteers will be pulling weeds, planting flowers and trees, clearing trails, recycling sneakers and making bird houses at churches, parks and schools throughout the 9 counties of Eastern Pennsylvania as part of a week-long “Green Project” to contribute 10,000 volunteer hours to clean, green and beautify. The effort, which started last Saturday, April 18, will continue through Sunday, April 26.
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Girl Scout staff has also committed hundreds of hours of service with their own goal of 500 hours. Twenty-seven GSEP staff members will be working at Valley Forge National Park on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22nd planting trees. They will also be beautifying a park and a playground in Philadelphia and will be planting a garden at the Wildlands Conservancy in Emmaus.
Ann Meredith, CEO, Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania said, “Being stewards of the earth is nothing new to Girl Scouts, and participating in Earth Day activities is something we’ve always embraced. We decided that one day — Earth Day — wasn’t enough and that we would give our Girls a bigger opportunity to participate in greening activities. They’re loving it! We’re going from City parks and schools to historic sites like Valley Forge National Park,” she added.
As of “start day,” some of the larger numbers of volunteers were at the Allentown Fairgrounds, 70 people; Friendship Elementary School, Coatesville, 80 people; and Blue Marsh State Park, Kulpsville, 100 people.
Exelon Power sponsored this Council-wide event.
NOTE TO PHOTO AND ASSIGNMENT EDITORS:
Below are selected sites where Girl Scouts are scheduled to be working as part of the Green Project.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 9:00-12:00
Gorgas Park
Ridge & Leverington Aves
Philadelphia, PA
Park Cleanup, planting
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 2:00-5:00
Houston Playground
Graykyn Lane
Philadelphia, PA
Park cleanup
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:00-12:00 and 2:00-5:00
Valley Forge National Park
King of Prussia, PA
Friday, April 24, 2009 9:00-12:00 or 2:00-5:00
Wildlands Conservancy
Emmaus, PA
Garden preparation for Native American plant sale held in May
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania is the largest girl-serving organization in Pennsylvania. It serves 42,000 girls and 14,000 volunteers in Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia counties. Today 80 percent of all women in leadership and executive roles in this country were Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts alumnae comprise 70 per cent of women in the U.S. Congress. For further information about Girl Scouting, to sign up, volunteer or donate, contact www.gsep.org or call 215 564 2030.
CONTACT: Noreen Shanfelter
Senior Director of Communications
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
215-564-2030, Ext. 1048
nshanfelter@gsep.org
SOURCE Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania