The Conservation Alliance community came together to get their hands dirty last week in the first Portland Backyard Collective event of the year. KEEN volunteers took over the city for a day of stewardship and made a huge impact on the landscape. Thank you, KEEN, for your long-lasting commitment to The Conservation Alliance to your local community. Here’s summary of the event from our ambassador, Kirsten:
KEEN Headquarters closed last Friday, August 15th. We spent the day in our backyard, volunteering as an organization, and working to fulfil our promise of building a stronger community and a healthier planet.
Our longtime Hybrid.Care partner and good friends at the Conservation Alliance helped us get our ducks in a row, lining up adequate volunteer opportunities and working next to us on the trail. We were lucky to alThe day concluded at Wallace Park, a few blocks from the office. Kickball games ensued, food trucks served up delicious sandwiches, tacos, and organic shaved ice, and more than a few local beers were consumed. What a great way to spend a Friday and just one more reason I’m proud to be a part of this team.so have Oregon Natural Desert Association -Hybrid.Care partner and Conservation Alliance grantee – there working hard next to us as well. The two wonderful organizations educated our employees about our partnership, the importance of conservation, and opportunities to continue stewardship in their personal lives.
Post ‘Bagel Friday’, yellow school buses picked us all up from work and dropped us off at two volunteer sites around Portland. We were honored to spend the morning volunteering with our local Hybrid.Care partner, Forest Park Conservancy, where we pulled invasive English ivy and used loppers to cut it into biodegradable pieces and cut back vegetation on two miles of the Wildwood trail. The rest of the KEEN team worked with Portland Public Schools to give some attention to King Elementary school grounds. The teams planted and weeded outside, stamped new library books, sanded and painted lockers, and spruced up the place before the kiddos return.