Patapsco Valley State Park Announces First- Ever “Volunteer Fair”

Crafts, displays and free lunch for new recruits

Ellicott City, Md. (April 18, 2011) - Patapsco Valley State Park is hosting its first-ever Volunteer Fair, Saturday, May 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the park’s Avalon area.

“Volunteers are vital to helping Maryland’s State Parks thrive and prosper, allowing for these public lands to be enjoyed to their fullest potential,” said Maryland Park Service Superintendent Nita Settina. “This is a great opportunity for potential Volunteers to come out for some fresh air, meet new people, enjoy free food and activities, strengthen family bonds and help beautify their parks.”

Participants can stop by to enjoy the park and explore various opportunities available for volunteers, including Volunteer Rangers, photographers, Camp Hosts, trail maintenance and naturalists and many more.

The Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park is sponsoring a free lunch for all attendees. The fair will feature displays of available volunteer opportunities, several same-day volunteer activities such as trail projects, and tours of park amenities.

Attendees can bring their families to enjoy free admission during fair hours with a coupon that can be printed by clicking here.

As a park volunteer you can contribute just a couple hours a month or as much as you can handle. For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator, Maegan Cooper at 410-465-3287 or macooper@dnr.state.md.us. For further park information and directions visit www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/patapsco.asp.

Maryland’s state parks not only provide great outdoor recreation for Marylanders and visitors, they are also a great asset to State and local economies. According to a recent study, conducted in partnership with the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the Maryland Office of Tourism Development and the Maryland Association of Destination Marketing Organizations, Maryland state parks have an estimated annual economic benefit of more than $650 million. In 2010, visitors directly spent more than $567 million locally — $25.56 locally for every dollar the State invests in state parks —during their visits. And almost 95 percent of visitors had their expectations met or exceeded during visits.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov