(Heart of Oregon Corps participants at the 2024 Global Youth Service Day project | Photo courtesy of Heart of Oregon Corps)
On Friday, April 25, Heart of Oregon Corps youth and staff will roll up their sleeves for Global Youth Service Day, an afternoon of hands-on community improvement in Redmond’s Dry Canyon.
Media are invited to attend between 12:15–2:15pm, with opening remarks featuring the City of Redmond beginning at 12pm near the parking lot of the Dry Canyon Dog Park at 1429 W Antler Ave., Redmond, OR 97756.
This annual event is part of Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), now in its 37th year and coordinated by Youth Service America, uniting youth ages 5–25 across more than 100 countries in service projects that benefit their communities.
Locally, Heart of Oregon has been partnering with City of Redmond to complete service projects in celebration of Global Youth Service Day for over a decade. Youth participants will work together on a variety of critical stewardship projects in the Dry Canyon, including:
- Deconstructing hazardous rock forts along canyon walls
- Removing dilapidated fencing material, wire, and posts
- Pulling invasive weeds
- Recycling old wood and metal
- Performing fire fuels reduction work
They will join youth from across the world whose projects include everything from preparing and providing hygiene kits to other youth; to building pollinator habitats; to serving in food banks; to leading anti-bullying trainings. See projects throughout the United States at the Youth Service America website.
“It’s a special thing to work alongside Heart of Oregon youth and young adults,” said Patrick Orr, program director of Heart of Oregon Corps. “Our youth and young adults serve their communities year-round, but on Global Youth Service Day, we come together to celebrate their hard work and the change they’re making — together with youth around the world.”
Members of the media will have the opportunity to capture youth in action and conduct interviews with Conservation Program Director Patrick Orr and a youth corpsmember.
About Heart of Oregon Corps:
Heart of Oregon Corps (HOC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth and young adults through employment, job training, education, and service to Central Oregon communities. With the goal of career readiness, HOC hires and trains 225 youth ages 16-24 annually in the fields of conservation, construction, and childcare. Accredited by the Corps Center for Excellence, HOC is committed to training tomorrow’s workforce today and is accepting youth applications now!
