In just over a week, Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area will take part in a statewide event designed to help Tennessee Promise scholarship students earn their volunteer hours while helping to make their local state park a better place.
On July 18, Sycamore Shoals will join more than 50 state parks across Tennessee in promoting Tennessee Promise Saturday, an opportunity for students to help make improvements to the parks while working to meet their scholarship requirements.
At Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area, the volunteers will help park staff prepare for a weekend performance of the outdoor drama “Liberty! The Saga of Sycamore Shoals.”
“With the numbers of people that come into the park to see the production, it makes for a lot of leg work to keep the park grounds clean,” Park Manager Jennifer Bauer said. “That will be the primary focus of this event for us.”
Volunteers will help clean up the grounds, clean the stands where the audience sits during the performances and possibly do some work on the set for the drama, Bauer said.
While the event is geared toward students working on their volunteer hours for the Tennessee Promise scholarship program, the event is open to anyone in the community 16 and older.
“I know it’s Tennessee Promise Saturday, but it is open for anyone who wants to volunteer,” Bauer said. “Our park has a very small staff, and it is hard without the help of volunteers to get everything done.”
Participants are asked to wear closed-toed shoes, bring work gloves and bring any drinks or snacks they might need.
“Also, if they are on the trails, there is always the possibility of poison ivy, so they may want to bring a long-sleeved shirt they can throw on in case they are working in that area,” Bauer said.
Volunteers will meet at the park’s visitors center at 10 a.m. and will work until 1 p.m.
Those wishing to volunteer are asked to RSVP to the park so staff can plan for the number of volunteers and also to make it easier for the park to keep track of volunteer hours worked on behalf of the students. Volunteers may RSVP by calling Ranger Jason Davis at the park at 423-543-5808 or by emailing him at jason.c.davis@tn.gov.