Volunteers help beautify Corps recreation area at Earth Day celebration

Photo By Mark Rankin | Carol High, Adrianne Pangborn, Rene McAllister.volunteers and Park Ranger Carter Robinson clear debris from Three Hickories Nature Trail at J. Percy Priest Lake on April 13, 2017 in celebration of Earth Day. (USACE Photo by Park Ranger Amber Jones)  

NASHVILLE , TN, UNITED STATES

05.05.2017

Story by Mark Rankin 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 5, 2017) – A group of volunteers partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District and helped beautify the Cook Recreational Area facility on J. Percy Priest Lake.

More than 72 community volunteers from the VF Imagewear, Inc., one of the world's largest apparel manufacturers located in the Nashville area, partnered with Nashville District Park Rangers April 13, 2017. Their work included repairing, refurbishing, renovating park areas, bagging mounds of trash and debris, building a wooden fence, planting trees, painting the exterior of a bathroom, planting flowers and trimming vegetation.

“This is a great way for us to play a small part and give back to the community and help spruce up one of our favorite recreation areas,” said Jeremy Turner, vice president, VF Imageswear, Inc. “We are very appreciative to the Corps for their hospitality and guidance and look forward to coming back next year.”

Nashville District Park Ranger Amber Jones coordinated the event and worked closely with the team at VF Imagewear. The collaboration resulted in the collection of bags of trash, old tires and plastic bottles along the shoreline and in the recreation area.

The group also built a fences around the park attendant campsite, striped the parking lot, planted 150 trees. They also painted the exterior of the visitors bathroom, painted grills, trash can holders and posts, planted flowers and trimmed back vegetation along the three hickories nature trail on J. Percy Priest Lake.

J. Percy Priest Lake Park Ranger Trey Church, complimented the volunteers from VF Imagewear Inc., on a job well done and commended the ranger staff for their outstanding effort to help make the event run smoothly.

“Outreach projects like this are an excellent way for us to take care the environment and remind us of the Corps mission,” said Church. “The work here is evident that the Corps should take time to stay connected with our local community, and build partnerships with them that ensures our natural resources are preserved for generations to come,” said Church.

The day's work began at 9 a.m. and concluded at 3:30 p.m. Many VF Imagewear Inc., employees had the opportunity to meet and talk with employees they normally don’t see often.

Stephanie Bury, a graphic designer with VF Imagewear Inc., said she lives on J. Percy Priest and has volunteered to help plant trees, paint and pick up trash for the past two years.

“I love doing anything outdoors and especially at J. Percy Priest Lake,” said Bury. “I planted trees and even met other employees that I normally would not run into if it were not for this event,” said Bury.

“I am impressed with the volunteers and their level of experience, their commitment and dedication to show up for the third year,” said Church. “None of this could happen without volunteers.”

(For more information about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, visit the district’s website at http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps, and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.)

• Date Taken: 05.05.2017
• Date Posted: 05.08.2017 10:12
• Story ID: 232999
• Location: NASHVILLE , TN, US