Volunteers Celebrate Pullman National Monument With Inaugural Volunteer Day of Service

CHICAGO– Today, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) will host the first major volunteer event in America’s newest urban national park by bringing people together at Pullman National Monument. The day-long event is one of NPCA’s 10 signature Find Your Voice (#FindYourVoice) events to help inspire people to advocate for America’s favorite places, some of which are right in their own backyards.

“We are happy to have so many volunteers at Pullman today,” said Lynn McClure, Midwest director for NPCA. “We look forward to a great day of community service and hope that today’s activities will inspire people to visit and support other national parks.”

Volunteers from the neighborhood and Chicago organizations including the Student Conservation Association, National Park Service, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives and the Davey Tree Expert Company will assist with projects such as maintenance at the historic Hotel Florence, sprucing up the new visitor center and facilities throughout the community, as well as planting and landscaping the park’s community-managed gardens. Attendees will also learn about Pullman’s historical, cultural, and educational importance through its connections to organized labor and urban planning with an interpretive park tour offered to volunteers by the National Park Service.

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About Pullman National Monument: Was designated by President Obama as Pullman National Monument on February 19, 2015, making the historic neighborhood Chicago’s first national park. Pullman tells the stories of America’s industrial past, the formation of one of the first African American labor unions, and it is home to the country’s first model industrial town. The Pullman Strike of 1894 was instrumental in the creation of our national Labor Day holiday.

Although the park designation is relatively new, by its 10th year of full operation, the park is expected to attract more than 300,000 visitors each year, create 350 jobs annually, generate $150 million in annual wages, and sustain $40 million in economic activity due to visitor spending. All while maintaining the history and individual splendor of one of the newest additions to the park system. Learn more at www.npca.org/npforpullman.

About Find Your Voice: NPCA is encouraging people to become national park visitors, stewards and advocates, especially as our park system enters into its second century in 2016. Participating in these volunteer activities will help provide our national parks a lasting legacy for tomorrow. Read more about the Find Your Voice initiative.

About the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA): Together with our more than one million members and supporters, the National Parks Conservation Association speaks for America’s national parks. Since our founding in 1919, NPCA has been an independent, nonpartisan voice working to strengthen and protect our nation’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage. Learn more at www.npca.org.