Work party tackles state park clean-up | KUDOS

Thirteen volunteers from Friends of South Whidbey State Park and Naval Air Station Whidbey cleaned up day-use areas at South Whidbey State Park after recent heavy rains and repeated wind storms nullified previous clean-up efforts.

April 1, 2016 7:07 pm
Thirteen volunteers from Friends of South Whidbey State Park and Naval Air Station Whidbey cleaned up day-use areas at South Whidbey State Park after recent heavy rains and repeated wind storms nullified previous clean-up efforts.
Thirteen volunteers from Friends of South Whidbey State Park and Naval Air Station Whidbey cleaned up day-use areas at South Whidbey State Park after recent heavy rains and repeated wind storms nullified previous clean-up efforts.

Thirteen volunteers from Friends of South Whidbey State Park and Naval Air Station Whidbey cleaned up day-use areas at South Whidbey State Park after recent heavy rains and repeated wind storms nullified previous clean-up efforts.

The crew of men and women successfully tackled a list of tasks with energy and speed, allowing the work to be completed in less than two hours, according to a recent press release.

The volunteers then cleaned the covered and open picnic areas, amphitheater and main restroom perimeter. Several camp sites were raked and cleaned of fallen tree debris. Large tree limbs and branches were chainsawed for visitor access and safety, the main parking lot was leaf-blown and raked of all debris, and mud-covered roadways were shoveled clean.

Later in the clean-up efforts, one group of volunteers gathered debris and cut down overhanging branches on one part of Forest Discovery Trail, while another group spread about two yards of mulch on a part of the trail where mud and standing water.

The volunteers who participated in the March 19 work party were: Ted Brookes, Paul Avery, Paul Louden, Finn Gatewood, Rich Tamler, Grant Heiken, and David Dawley and Justin Burnett; and Kevin Mattingley, Sandy Mattingley, Ryan Flatt, Hannah Henderson, and April Wheaton from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.