A Great MLK Day Project at T. O. Fuller State Park

This year’s MLK Day of Service was held Saturday, December 18th, at T.O. Fuller State Park as part of The Wolf River Conservancy’s Spring Restoration Series. Founded in 1938, T.O. Fuller State Park was the first state park open for African Americans east of the Mississippi River. The park was designated as T.O. Fuller State Park in 1942 in honor of Dr. Thomas O. Fuller, a prominent African-American educator, pastor, politician, civic leader and author, who spent his life empowering and educating African Americans. Dr. Fuller served as principal of the Howe Institute, a precursor to Lemoyne-Owen College, for 27 years.

In partnership with T.O. Fuller State Park, over 70 volunteers worked to resurface the park's Interpretive Center playground with fresh mulch, clear the Honeysuckle Trail so that users may access the park’s outdoor education space, and built 18 nest boxes for our feathered friends! The Conservancy would like to thank our Wolf River Restoration Series presenting sponsor, Brother International, for their generous ongoing support.  We would also like to thank our Wolf River Restoration Series sustaining sponsors, Bioventus, Buckman, Crawford-Howard Private Foundation, FedEx, Hyde Family Foundations, International Paper, Ring Container Technologies, and Sylvamo for their continued support of the series and the Conservancy.  

We would also like to thank Volunteer Odyssey for the support their platform provides our organization, and we would specifically like to thank Volunteer Odyssey’s President and CEO Caroline Norris. Caroline not only works with The Wolf River Conservancy to promote our service events, but she also tirelessly hauled mulch for two hours to restore the Interpretive Center playground! Thanks to Caroline, our sponsors and all of our volunteers. We could not do this important work without you!

Our Restoration Series continues this spring! Join us to commemorate the Conservancy’s 20th Annual Tree Planting by volunteering to help plant native trees on Mar. 1!  Volunteers of all ages are needed to plant 1,000 native trees along both the Wolf River Greenway and the Mississippi River in Mud Island's Greenbelt Park. Join us for a morning of getting a little dirty while having lots of fun — all while helping to make a lasting local impact! Sign up today to volunteer and join the Conservancy in restoring the natural beauty around us! This event is proudly sponsored by International Paper.

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