Story last updated at 5/5/2010 - 3:10 pm
JUNEAU - On April 23, over 350 volunteers joined efforts in the tradition of the world's largest youth-oriented service event, Global Youth Service Day (GYSD). In 1995, SAGA began organizing Juneau's GYSD with projects from beach clean-ups, resulting in tons of collected trash, to serving Juneau's homeless and hungry.
An official kick-off for this year's GYSD began at Cope Park in the morning with the gathering of students and teachers from Thunder Mountain High School, Juneau-Douglas High School, and Juneau Charter School. The volunteers received a welcome and words of encouragement from Director of Parks and Recreation Marc Matsil, Representative Cathy Muñoz, and Rotarian and Juneau Soccer Club coach Carl Ferlauto.
The youth volunteers provided service to the Glory Hole, the AWARE Shelter, Pioneers Home, the Southeast Alaska Food Bank, and the City and Borough of Juneau. Most of the projects involved cleaning or picking up litter.
Youth who could not leave school to participate on Friday found other ways to be a part of the event. Government and NHS students joined SAGA's Corps Team Leaders to serve the U.S. Forest Service at the new Trail of Time on April 22. On GYSD, Transition students at Thunder Mountain painted a new sign for the Southeast Alaska Food Bank in their classroom while the Charter School youth paired up with elementary students to work at Gastineau Elementary on improving a trail behind the school.
CBJ Landscape Department Director Kevin Brady explains: "It was an incredible effort of volunteerism, a huge benefit to the City and Borough and the community, and a very well coordinated event."
