CCC alumni to join celebration on September 14
Conservation Corps to celebrate 80th birthday of CCC
St. Paul, Minn. — Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa will celebrate the 80th birthday of the Civilian Conservation Corps on Saturday, September 14 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds DNR Park, from 4 to 10 p.m.
An expected 500 guests, including members of the original CCC, will enjoy Twin Cities-based bluegrass music by Steve Kaul & The Brass Kings, San Souci and The Farmhouse Band, food trucks, beer, a silent auction, Hammerschlagen and games for all ages. During the event, Corps alumni and stakeholders from the 1930s through today will have an opportunity to gather and reconnect.
“We are excited to celebrate the significant work begun 80 years ago by the CCC, and carried on by generations of young people,” said Len Price, executive director of Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa. “This heritage of caring for Minnesota’s natural resources will help ensure their enjoyment by future generations. We hope you will join us for this happy and momentous celebration.”
The CCC was established by the Emergency Conservation Work Act, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 5, 1933. More than 77,000 served in Minnesota. Earning only one dollar per day, they built log and stone structures in state parks, planted trees, constructed roads, erected phone lines, fought fires and preserved historic sites.
Today, Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa employs more than 550 youth and young adults each year to carry on the 80-year-old CCC legacy of conservation and public service. Corps members serve their communities, earning modest pay while responding to natural disasters, controlling wildfires, removing invasive species, restoring natural habitats, improving recreational trails and leading volunteers.
Tickets can be purchased on the Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa website for $18 and at the door for $22. Sponsors include Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Wellington Management Inc., CATS Applicant Tracking System, Tradition Creek, Fresh Color Press and several area businesses.
For more information on the 80th birthday event, contact cindy.green@conservationcorps.org, 651.209.9900 x16.
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