Rain, Cobblestones and Community: A Day Volunteering in Central Park
Last Saturday, June 27th, members of the St. George’s Society of New York (SGSNY) volunteered with the Central Park Conservancy (CPC) to help maintain one of New York City’s most iconic landscapes.
SGSNY & CPC Volunteers under the Arch
It was a very rewarding experience for all involved, albeit a soggy one! Ten SGSNY volunteers rolled up their sleeves alongside a handful of other CPC volunteers for a hands-on afternoon of scraping, digging, and restoring. All essential work that directly supports the beauty and preservation of the park.
Uncovering History at Winterdale Arch
Our afternoon began at 1:30 PM as we gathered at the historic Winterdale Arch, just in time for the light rain to start. Upon arrival, CPC’s Volunteer Coordinator welcomed the group, provided an overview of the unique challenges involved in maintaining Central Park, and invited everyone to introduce themselves.
Equipped with shovels, pickaxes, rakes and brooms, our team was instructed on how to clear heavy runoff debris from the roadway in order to uncover the original historic cobblestones buried beneath the arch.
Though the rain came down hard during our session, we had the luck of being sheltered by the historical stone arch the entire time! Mid-shift, we took a well-deserved snack break, giving everyone the opportunity to mingle and connect with our fellow volunteers from the Conservancy.
After putting down our tools, a handful of us worked our way down to the Central Park Tavern where we joined the wider SGSNY community to dry off and celebrate the day with an exciting World Cup watch party.
Get Involved & Thank You!
We are deeply grateful to the Central Park Conservancy for organizing the day, and to our volunteers for their incredible time, energy, and hard work. It was inspiring to contribute to a local landmark that means so much to our city. Take a look at all the photos from the day below!
A special shout-out goes to David Martinelli for generously sponsoring our volunteer hats this year! If you are interested in sponsoring our volunteer merchandise for future events, please reach out to us at membership@stgeorgessociety.org.
If you’re interested in participating in future volunteer events with St. George’s Society, check out how to become a member.
