Honoring a Legacy with Service: 5th Annual MLK Day Weed Pull

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”  -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Brave volunteers tackling the Himalayan blackberry near the campgrounds. Photo by Wendy Feltham.

Every year in January, AmeriCorps members across the country honor Martin Luther King Jr. on his namesake national holiday with a day of service. MLK Day is usually a day off; a day off from school, work, meetings or errands—a long weekend in some regard. However, the legacy of MLK Jr. is one of taking action. That’s why Washington Service Corps and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center (PTMSC) strive to make it a day on, instead of a day off.

PTMSC AmeriCorps (from left to right) Juhi, Brooke, Sarah, Mattie. Photo by Wendy Feltham.

The AmeriCorps at PTMSC chose to serve the community of Port Townsend by committing to a term of service. The annual MLK Day of Service is meant to recruit others from the community to join us in that duty. This year marked the 5th annual day of service weed pull at Fort Worden State Park. On January 16th, 2017, we gathered with volunteers who rose to the call to join us in serving our community.

A clearing where invasive, pokey, Himalayan blackberry used to be. Not to be confused with trailing blackberry, a native species. 
Photo by Carolyn Woods.

This year we targeted the Himalayan blackberry and English ivy that were overrunning the area behind the Natural History Exhibit and campground. These are both quick-growing plants that out-compete the native species vital to the ecosystem at Fort Worden. We gathered at the Natural History Exhibit to identify target areas, gear up, and get to work.

Volunteers rolling up the English Ivy like a carpet; the best technique for those pesky vines! Photo by Wendy Feltham.

Although we had been prepared for rain to pour on us, somehow it managed to hold off for the weed pull. It was the only thing that held back. Over 50 volunteers showed up, donating a combined total of over 150 hours of service. The outpouring of support was tremendous, and the event an all-around success.

(Above, both) Team work makes the invasive-species-eradication
dream work! Photos by Carolyn Woods.

The weed pull couldn't have been so outstanding without the help of many. Thank you to PTMSC, Friends of Fort Worden, and Washington State Parks for partnering with us on the event. Thanks to the Noxious Weed Board, Native Plant Society, as well as individuals from the Coastal Artillery Museum and Department of Fish and Wildlife and other volunteers who generously donated tools. Thanks to the Fort Worden Rangers and Maintenance team for their continuous support. Thanks as well to our Washington Conservation Corps team at Fort Worden and to our fellow AmeriCorps from NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary for joining us in service. I also want to recognize and thank my teammates Sarah, Juhi, and Mattie for their individual and collective efforts in executing the weed pull. We have enormous gratitude for every single volunteer who joined us to honor MLK Jr. by coming together as a community and providing a service to our environment.

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BROOKE ASKEY is the Citizen Science Educator and an AmeriCorps Member at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center

MLK Jr. Day of Service

Please join the AmeriCorps for a community service event in honor of MLK Jr. Day! 

Make it a day on, not a day off! 

We will be pulling invasive species of Himalayan blackberry and English ivy. 

Refreshments will be provided!

RSVP to Sarah at scroston@ptmsc.org

Share that you're going with your friends using the Facebook event HERE!

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BROOKE ASKEY is the Citizen Science Educator and an AmeriCorps Member at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center

Answering the Call to Serve: MLK Day Weed Pull

The MLK Day of Service invasive weed pull is an important project for the Americorps team and a yearly tradition at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center (PTMSC). Each year volunteers from around the community gather to embrace the power of collective action, and this year was no different.

Americorps and volunteers braved the wind to pull invasive dune grass on the beach

On MLK Day, Volunteers and Americorps met at the Marine Science Center to help make MLK Day a day on, not a day off. Dedicated volunteers chose to serve their community and restore native beach habitats at Fort Worden by removing invasive plants. Rebecca started the afternoon with a call to service from Martin Luther King Jr. himself:

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” —Martin Luther King Jr.

As Americorps, we have already chosen to answer a call of service with our decision to serve at the Marine Science Center. On MLK Day, we asked the community of Port Townsend to join us in a day of service and celebration of the activist's legacy, and they answered. Over thirty volunteers gathered to learn about the history of invasive plants at Fort Worden and worked together to change that history.

Rebecca explains the differences between native and invasive dune grasses

After learning how to identify the weeds we would be pulling, it was time to head out to the beach. Despite strong winds and unpleasant weather, 31 volunteers donated 89 hours to pull over 1,100 pounds of invasive weeds. The large pile ready to be hauled away at the end of the day was an impressive testament to the dedication of our volunteers, staff, and the Port Townsend community.

Zofia and Katie keeping our invasive dune grass pullers motivated

In addition to the European dune grass that was planted in the park decades ago to stabilize the dunes, volunteers targeted invasive Scotch Broom as part of an ongoing eradication project led by the trail crew at Fort Worden, another excellent example of dedication to service.

A load of Scotch broom ready to be hauled away

The PTMSC Americorps team (plus guests!) gather to celebrate a tough day of weed-pulling

This event wouldn't have been possible without the help of numerous community organizations and individuals who donated their time, skills, and supplies. Thank you to the Friends of Fort Worden, Washington State Parks, the North Olympic Salmon Coalition, the Washington Native Plant Society, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Thanks also to Jan North, Forest Shomer, and Ranger Todd Jensen. Thank you also to Katie, Zofia, and Rebecca for their work in organizing, promoting, and running a successful weed pull. And most of all, thank you to the community members from Port Townsend and beyond who joined us in our MLK Day of Service.

Volunteers and staff return to the NHE after another successful weed pull

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CAROLYN WOODS is the Natural History Exhibit and Volunteer Educator and an AmeriCorps Member serving at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center.

3rd Annual MLK Day of Service: Make it A Day On, Not a Day Off!