The Friends of Allegany State Park will host volunteers at Allegany State Park as part of more than 100 cleanups, improvement and beautification events happening statewide on Saturday, May 5. I Love My Park Day is an exciting statewide event to improve and enhance New York’s state parks and historic sites and bring visibility to the entire state park system and its needs. Volunteers from across the state will participate in cleanup, improvement, and beautification events at New York State parks and historic sites. Volunteers will celebrate New York’s state park system by cleaning up park lands and beaches, planting trees and gardens, restoring trails and wildlife habitat, removing invasive species, and working on various site improvement projects.

I Love My Park Day is coordinated at the statewide level by Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) in partnership with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). Friends groups and park staff will oversee cleanup, improvement and beautification projects and work with volunteers.

This event will be held on the Quaker side of the park and is the fourth year the Friends of Allegany State Park have hosted the event in cooperation with Allegany State Park management and PTNY.

New York state is a leader in parks and conservation because of a long history of stewardship and generosity of private citizens. Friends groups and volunteers are more important than ever to keep parks beautiful, clean, and welcoming for all to visit and enjoy. Volunteer participation in a cleanup day will help enhance these important places during lean budget times and show elected leaders that there is strong public support for our park system.

Sponsors of this year’s ILMPD event include J-Con Parks, the Park Concessionaire, Stage Light & Heating, New Harbor Financial Management Corp., Carol Jackson, Friend of Allegany Member and Karla Johnston.

Those interested in volunteering in the project at Allegany State Park can register to volunteer by visiting ptny.org/ilovemypark or by calling Sandy Boczar, ILMPD Chairperson at 432-6964.

The Friends of Allegany State Park is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to work with the state of New York to promote, preserve, and maintain Allegany State Park. The park has been enjoyed by people of all ages for almost 100 years. The Friends pursue this mission by serving as ambassadors and advocates for the park and the wider community. This is accomplished by recruiting friends and volunteers and by developing corporate and community partners. The Friends strive to network with the talent, knowledge, and enthusiasm that is needed to keep the park relevant and vital. The Friends will strive to preserve, maintain, and interpret the historic character and natural beauty of the park. Please see our Facebook page for event details or visit our website at friendsofallegany.com for information about joining our team!

Trails New York is the leading statewide organization working to preserve and enhance a network of parks, trails and greenways for all New Yorkers for generations to come. Since 1985, our influential reports and advocacy efforts have been critical to keeping parks and historic sites open and protecting New York’s natural, recreational, cultural and historical resources. For more information, visit ptny.org.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 180 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by 60 million people annually. A recent study by Parks & Trails New York found that New York State Parks generates $1.9 billion in economic activity annually and supports 20,000 jobs.