COLUMBUS, Ky. – On Saturday, April 5, 2008, history buffs and preservationists from around the country will team up with the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) to help clean and restore America’s priceless battlefields, cemeteries and shrines.  The nationwide effort – dubbed Park Day – is underwritten with a grant from The History Channel. For the second time, this year’s Park Day is presented in partnership with Take Pride in America, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

COLUMBUS-BELMONT STATE PARK is one of the sites that will benefit from Park Day-related activities.  Volunteers are needed to LANDSCAPE AND CLEAR BRUSH AND PICK UP TRASH.  For more information about Park Day at COLUMBUS-BELMONT, please contact CINDY LYNCH, 270-677-2327 OR cindy.lynch@ky.gov.

Park Day, now in its tenth year, is an annual hands-on preservation event created by CWPT to assist local groups with the maintenance of Civil War sites.  Participants gather at the sites to help with activities that range from trash removal to trail building.  In exchange for their hard work, volunteers receive t-shirts and have an opportunity to hear a local historian discuss the significance of the site.

WHAT: National “Park Day” annual historic preservation event

WHEN: April 5, 2008, beginning at 9:30

WHERE: COLUMBUS-BELMONT STATE PARK
                COLUMBUS, KY
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(For a complete list of participating Park Day sites, visit http://www.civilwar.org/parkday/)

The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 53 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov.