HCWA Cubihatcha Center welcomes volunteers for Earth Day work day
To celebrate Earth Day and the protection of natural resources locally, the Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) and its Cubihatcha Center staff welcomed approximately 40 volunteers for a workday at the nature preserve during this national day of environmental awareness on Saturday, April 22.
HCWA employees, their families, and other community volunteers worked throughout the day on projects at the Cubihatcha Center that included:
* A Trail Cleanup – Visitors to the Cubihatcha Center enjoy several walking trails around the nature preserve; however, because of the tornado that hit the property earlier this year, staff and volunteers cleared limbs, debris, and trash around the property.
* Preparing the Community Garden – The Cubihatcha staff and volunteers also prepared the Center’s Community Garden for the upcoming planting season. The Cubihatcha Center has one of the many community gardens in Henry County maintained by Community Gardens of Henry County, Inc.
* Planting Flowers and Preparing Bee Boxes – Finally, the Earth Day volunteers planted flowers around the sign at the entrance of the Cubihatcha Center to welcome guests to the property, while also preparing pollinators to support a healthy bee population.
The HCWA staff was especially appreciative of the volunteers who came out to show their support of Earth Day and the Cubihatcha Center as a local attraction for public education and outdoor recreation.
“Our staff was extremely happy to receive the support of such a fantastic group of volunteers for the many projects we were able to complete on Earth Day 2023,” says Jeff Scott, HCWA Naturalist at the Cubihatcha Center. “The weather was beautiful, the turnout was spectacular, and it was a great way for families to spend the day in the outdoors beautifying our local nature center.”
The volunteers who came out also enjoyed this national celebration, which provided them with an opportunity to give back to the community and the HCWA Cubihatcha Center, which is a local attraction designed for their enjoyment.
“Cubihatcha Earth Day 2023 was a fantastic hands-on experience, and my grandchildren and I had so much fun being a part of the celebration,” says Denise OGuin, who brought grandsons Marcus and Carter Sasfras and granddaughter Chrisette Wilson with her for the workday. ‘We planted flowers and vegetables, and even checked out the busy bees in the beehives! The Cubihatcha staff was welcoming and knowledgeable, and they encouraged and supported our participation in the activities. After a fun learning day, we had a delicious lunch. I can’t wait until next year!”
Earth Day is a national celebration annually on April 22, to recognize the importance of the environment and its protection, while preserving natural resources for future generations. This year marked the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day.
Captions for photos (top to bottom):
Jeff Scott (center), HCWA Naturalist at the Cubihatcha Center, helps Marcus Sasfras (left) and Chrisette Wilson (right) plant flowers during HCWA Earth Day 2023.
George Jeburk (center, back with shovel), President of Community Gardens of Henry County, Inc., instructs volunteers on planting flower beds at the Cubihatcha Center Community Garden.
Ella Grace Davis (left) and Alyssa Rivera (right), students at Union Grove Middle School in McDonough, show off this year’s HCWA Earth Day t-shirts while trimming limbs and clearing debris from the Cubihatcha Center walking trails.
Please check out our photo gallery from the 2023 HCWA Earth Day work day.
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