Bellingham Parks & Recreation Leisure Guide
Issue link: https://bpr.uberflip.com/i/1530293
Parks Volunteer Program WINTER PLAYBOOK 2025 | BELLINGHAM PARKS & RECREATION 16 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY OF SERVICE COMMUNITY WORK PARTY Celebrate the collective power of community and join the City of Bellingham and partners to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through two community events on Saturday, January 18th. Start the day at Bellingham High School from 10 am to noon with the Community Consortium for Cultural Recognition, which brings together local education, city, and nonprofit groups. The event includes a panel of community leaders and a free breakfast. In the afternoon, join us at: Squalicum Creek Park Saturday, January 18th from 12:30 to 3:30 pm Together, at our annual MLK, Jr. Day of Service Community Work Party, we'll plant native trees and shrubs to restore habitat near Willow Spring, an ecological restoration project that helps recover salmon habitat and improve water quality. This work also advances the environmental justice movement, implementing Dr. King's vision of clean air, water, and healthy communities for all. Tools, gloves, instruction, Tony's coffee, snacks, pizza, and FREE bike valet are provided. All ages and abilities are welcome. No previous volunteer experience necessary. Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) and WSC AmeriCorps members will join us at this work party. Please register in advance for this free event. To register and learn more about both events, visit cob.org/mlk2025. Stewardship in Your Backyard If you can't join our work party, you can still take part in cultivating a healthy urban environment by creating wildlife habitat in your own backyard or neighborhood. Enhancing habitat attracts birds, butterflies, and other pollinators, beautifies our neighborhoods, and improves air and water quality, which benefits everyone in our community. Visit our Backyard Habitat Restoration and Manage Weeds Naturally webpages for tips and ideas on you can safely remove invasive species, plant native trees and shrubs, and improve soil and water quality, all while having fun with your family and neighbors. These resources were compiled by City biologists and weed management experts to help your backyard stewardship efforts succeed. cob.org/backyard-habitat and cob.org/weeds Become a Park Steward and Volunteer Independently Adopt a local park, trail or open space for MLK, Jr. Day and beyond! Park Stewards are long-term volunteers who help improve our parks independently after receiving training and direction. This is a great way to get involved in your community! Learn more about how to become a Park Steward at: cob.org/steward.