Youth lead volunteers in service projects

Throughout each Youth Outdoors session, participants based at neighborhood rec centers plan and organize service projects that engage communities in volunteer work. On Saturday June 2, four Saint Paul crews, each with six youth and two AmeriCorps leaders, led projects to build, plant, clean up and educate.

The Baker crew built a compost bin for the Youth Farm and Market Project and planted perennials at Baker Community Garden. In the afternoon, they held a Compost Fest to teach the community about the benefits of composting.

The Phalen crew led neighborhood volunteers in picking up trash in Saint Paul’s Eastside Heritage Park and Swede Hollow. In the afternoon, they stenciled garbage cans during Waterfest at Lake Phalen.

The Hazel Park crew handed out seeds and seedlings at Sun Ray Library to educate the community about the seed library they started, and about local foods and gardening practices.

The West Minnehaha crew led work at JD Rivers community garden in Theodore Wirth Park, Minneapolis. They prepped land, built a bed, planted and pruned trees.