There are a ton of things to do in Philadelphia this weekend to keep you busy around the clock, but folks from the Friends of Rittenhouse, a group that works to maintain Rittenhouse Square, would appreciate a few extra hands on Saturday morning as they work to spiff up the popular square for summer. If you can spare a few hours, they’ll even give you a handful of delicious treats for your hard work.
All volunteers who swing by to help between 9am and noon on May 12 will receive a free 16-ounce salad from sweetgreen, custard from Shake Shack and macaroons from Sofitel Philadelphia. Duties for the day include planting impatiens, pulling weeds, raking leaves and picking up litter around the park. All supplies are provided, so all you need to bring is a willingness to help (and maybe a little green-thumb expertise if you have it).
Photograph: Courtesy Friends of Rittenhouse
The cleanup is part of the spring iteration of Love Your Park Week, which kicks off on May 12 and lasts through the 20th. The initiative is a way to get folks out of the house to engage with the city’s green spaces—through volunteer cleanups like the one at Rittenhouse Square on Saturday, but also events such as bird-walking tours, plant sales and an excursion to spot amphibians in Carpenter’s Woods. (See the full lineup of events here.)
Most of the cleanups won’t come with free Shake Shack custard, but at least you’ll leave feeling good that you put in some time to keep Philadelphia parks clean and thriving. For more info on Love Your Park Week, go here.
To get in on the action at Rittenhouse Square, check in at the Gardener’s Cottage near the southwest corner of the park around 9am. Happy volunteering!