O’Mara: ‘I Love My Park Day’ on May 6 offering volunteer opportunities at many regional sites

Elmira, N.Y., May 1—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) today reminded area residents that the online volunteer registration process remains underway for the 12th Annual “I Love My Park Day” on Saturday, May 6, 2023 that will include events at many regional state parks, historic sites, and trails throughout the 58^th Senate District.

The statewide event, sponsored by Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) in partnership with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) and local groups, encourages volunteer efforts to enhance New York’s parks and historic sites and promote the entire park system.

“New York can boast of one of America’s outstanding systems of state parks, including a network of historic sites, parks and trails throughout the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions that is second to none,” said O’Mara.  “I can’t say enough about this effort to beautify and promote these attractions.  I hope it’s incredibly successful once again this year.”

In 2022, thousands of volunteers took part in hundreds of cleanup, improvement, and beautification projects at approximately 150 state parks and historic sites, contributing more than 12,000 hours of volunteer service.  The annual event has tripled in size since the inaugural event in 2012.     

This year, volunteers from every region of New York will once again participate in efforts to beautify, improve and restore state parks, trails and historic sites on Saturday, May 6.

O’Mara said that projects will be taking place across his legislative district which covers all or parts of Allgeany, Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, and Yates counties.

Additional information on specific volunteer opportunities, including an online registration process, is available on the Parks & Trails New York website at: https://www.ptny.org/events/i-love-my-park-day.