I Love My Park Day on Saturday at the John Brown Farm State Historic Site, however, will go on as planned, according to Site Manager Brendan Mills.

This will be the first time the event has been held since 2019; it was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19 guidelines will be in effect, meaning that participants will need to wear masks while registering and practice social distancing. Plus, there won’t be an after-event volunteer party like in years past. Otherwise, things are pretty much the same, according to Andrea Grout, who co-organizes the event with Tricia Garrett.

“I’ve seen more beer cans, mini-liquor bottles and just trash strewn,” Grout said April 20. “It’s really frustrating. There seems to be a lot more trash this year on the sides of the road, and I don’t know how to make people care more about their environment. If we didn’t do this, it would just be a mess everywhere.”

Those interested in volunteering on Saturday, May 8 are asked to contact Grout and Garrett with their contact information, either by email at lpvillagecleanup@gmail.com or on the event’s Facebook page, “Lake Placid Annual Clean Up Day.”

“We prefer the preliminary signup just because we like to be able to tell people what’s available still so that we try to get all the areas covered,” Grout said.

Sign-in begins at 9 a.m. at the Mirror Lake Beach House, where volunteers will get their trash bags, latex gloves, assignments and instructions.

Those who can deliver bags full of garbage they collected to the North Elba Transfer Station are asked to do so, but it is not required. Passes to the transfer station will be provided.

As usual, there will be a scavenger hunt this year — with golden eggs around the community.

“And the lucky winners will get a surprise,” Grout said.

Volunteers will be asked to share photos of themselves cleaning up Lake Placid on their social media accounts.

Grout said this is a good opportunity for local students to earn community service hours, which are required for graduation.

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I Love My Park Day

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Volunteers are invited to a cleanup day — I Love My Park Day — at the John Brown Farm State Historic Site starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 1. People will meet at the John Brown statue, parking anywhere on the right side of the traffic circle or in the Northfield parking lot.

There will be general park cleanup on the grounds and trails. All ages are welcome, and volunteers are asked to bring garden gloves, water and a snack.

People can register online at https://ptny.wufoo.com/forms/makq85y1eqfmeq. For more information, call 518-523-3900 or 518-527-0191.

I Love My Park Day is sponsored by the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.