Keeping natural areas safe and clean for everyone to enjoy in the bustling Washington, D.C., region has become an important mission for Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC)
Metro Washington Chapter. This year, volunteers tackled a portion of Rock Creek Park, which stretches across Washington, D.C., and Maryland.
While the Metro Washington Chapter regularly supports community service efforts involving heavy construction work and building renovations, it also takes on projects in which anyone can participate, regardless of skill level.
Thirty volunteers—including high school students, ABC members and their families—participated in this year’s Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup. The City of Rockville, Md., the
Alice Ferguson Foundation and
Friends of Rock Creek’s Environment organize the annual event. ABC’s Metro Washington Chapter participated in the Extreme Cleanup for the second time, successfully recruiting volunteers through emails, flyers, networking events and social media channels.
Volunteers cleaned up the nature trails, streams and woods at
Croydon Creek Nature Center within Rock Creek Park. They arrived around 9 a.m. and were treated to breakfast before the cleanup effort began. Each person received gloves and big trash bags before hitting the trails.
Younger children helped remove small pieces of trash, while stronger adults hauled away tires, toilets, cinder-blocks and other heavy items. By mid-day, dozens of trash bags had been filled and the Croydon Creek Nature Center was ready to welcome hikers and nature enthusiasts.
Kristi Weaver, owner of
Mid-Atlantic Promotions, Baltimore, and chairman of the chapter’s 2011 Community Service Committee, is thrilled to share her passion for volunteering in a professional setting.
“I haven’t met anyone on our committee who doesn’t share the same feelings and the passion to help others,” Weaver says. “It’s great to know that as a team we’re able to make an impact on other lives.”
Many of the volunteers who participated in the park cleanup last year returned this year because they enjoyed it so much. The volunteers represented several ABC member companies located in the metro Washington region, including
Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.;
Busy Ditch, Inc.;
Gilbane Building Company;
Henley Construction Co., Inc.;
HITT Contracting Inc.;
KBE Building Corporation;
Keller Brothers, Inc.; Mid-Atlantic Promotions; and the ABC Student Chapter at Montgomery College.