Manzanar National Historic Site is hosting its fifth annual Volunteer Day on Saturday, March 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Owens Valley residents, their families and friends, and others are invited to join the Manzanar staff for an outdoor work project followed by a catered lunch and program presented by former Manzanar resident Art Williams.
The Volunteer Day work project involves clearing a section of the historic chicken ranch to preserve this rarely seen section of the site. Built by Japanese American crews during the summer and fall of 1943, the ranch supplied more than a million eggs and over 26,000 pounds of chicken meat to Manzanar’s mess halls over the following two years.
Manzanar welcomes community involvement in the preservation of this special site. Staff and community members will work together to improve the site, get to know each other, and have some good, dirty, outdoor fun. Manzanar will provide tools (gloves, shovels, pruners, rakes, brooms, wheelbarrows) and project supervision. Each volunteer will receive lunch, a water bottle, and bandana. Volunteers must wear sturdy closed-toe shoes, a hat, and sunscreen.
The day’s schedule is as follows.
8:30–9 a.m: Arrive, park, and sign in at the Interpretive Center parking lot
9 a.m.: Welcome, outline of work, safety message
9:15 a.m.–12 p.m.: Work project
12–1 p.m.: Picnic lunch provided by Friends of Manzanar, discussion by Art Williams about his experience living in Manzanar as the son of camp staff members
Volunteers should RSVP as participation is limited. Call Park Ranger Carrie Andresen for more information and to sign up at (760) 878-2194, ext. 3314. Manzanar National Historic Site is located nine miles north of Lone Pine and six miles south of Independence on the west side of U.S. Highway 395.
For more information on Manzanar, visit the website at www.nps.gov/manz or call (760) 878-2194, ext. 3310.