Signs of S.O.D.A. at work
Through the last few years, hard working volunteers have:
- restored Grandview Park
- built four bridges over mud and rain filled ditches
- re-surfaced over 4,000 feet of trails to cover winter mud
- repaired existing wooden walkways and removed pesky Fox Tail
- in partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers and King County, repaired and re-vegitated the Sammamish River Bank in the Dog Area
- completed "Swamp Dog Trail"
S.O.D.A. will always need more hard working volunteers to:
- continue to re-surface and repair existing trails as needed
- be stewards for watering the river bank during the summers
S.O.D.A., as an organization, strives to continue:
- sponsoring "Education Day" and a series of "Emergency Dog Care" seminars
- purchasing over 500,000 plastic bags per year to keep our park clean
Project Funding
S.O.D.A. is a non-profit, 501c3 approved organization. All funding is provided by S.O.D.A. membership dues, generous donations of park users, and fund raising projects. All labor is provided by volunteers. Work parties are hours of fun and friendship by park users like yourself. S.O.D.A. is also thankful for the invaluable support of the Marymoor Park Maintenance Department (Marymoor OLA) and Parks Department of the South King County Task Force (Grandview Park OLA).
Upcoming Work Parties
In the coming months there will be many work parties to improve the Grandview Park OLA as well as continue the maintence and improvement of the Marymoor Park. Your support and sweat are greatly needed to ensure the success of the park.
Next Marymoor Park Party
- Sunday, May 18, 2008 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM: Marymoor "Spring Projects" Work Party
- Hello potential S.O.D.A. Volunteers!
We have made a list of lots of little projects that we need to do at Marymoor Dog Park and so we are putting together a little Work Party to finish pulling the English Ivy growing in the woods, dig "comfrey" that came back after our efforts last year, take-down temporary closure fencing, remove "fuzzing" vegetation cloth from the trail going to the Pet Garden, clean-off the Boy Scout Bridge, clean Dog Park signs, perhaps some clipping, some weed-whacking etc, etc, etc. We would like to recruit from 15 to 20 volunteers to come and pitch-in to get all these little things done.
We will start at 9am and be out of there by 1pm. If you can come and help this SUNDAY, MAY 18, please respond to this email. I'm making a list of volunteers so that we can plan which of the "Spring Projects" we can get done. What we DO depends on YOU!
Please respond back to this email at dogsoffleash@soda.org if you can help - I can't wait to see everybody working at the Dog Park again!
Email me!!!!! We need your help! Remember: Volunteering is FUN!!!!!
Next Grandview Park Party
- Saturday, May 17, 2008 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM: Grandview work party
Operation Blackberry Devastation
The Third Assault Mission
- Cut down blackberry vines along east ridge of parking lot
- Pick up dog poop
- Paint the soccer field fence (weather permitting)
We would like to make a huge dent in the blackberry population along the east side of the parking lot in order to create better visibility of cars from the soccer fields. If you have a gas-powered weed whacker we need your help. Please bring any safety equipment you may have such as hearing protection and visors. A Heavy Duty Grass Gators accessory (which can be bought at Home Depot or Lowes for about $20) makes quick work of blackberries and can be attached to most gas weed whackers. Grass Gators are AWESOME! Cutting down blackberries on a hill side is hard work so the work party will only be three hours. If we get a large turn out we should be able to accomplish this goal.
WE REALLY NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS TASK.
S.O.D.A. has four (4) weed whackers to let volunteers use. If you don't have a weed whacker the first four to reserve the weed whackers will get them.
We are also looking for volunteers to help clean up poop around the park. Feel free to bring scoopers if you like but all animal waste must be bagged before being placed in garbage receptacles. We made great strides in this area a few weeks ago but the park could use a bit more tidying up.
At last months work party we got the eastern fence painted. Now we would like to paint a second coat on both fences so that it holds up better. Bring a roller and a pan. Also, we could really use a sprayer for where the cyclone fencing overlaps the wood (it is real pain to brush). If you have a battery operated sprayer or a sprayer and generator we would LOVE to see you there.
S.O.D.A. also needs a couple volunteers to work the booth which involves signing in volunteers and educating park users about S.O.D.A. as well as collecting donations/memberships to pay for park maintenance.
Interested in Volunteering? Here's What You Do...
- Reply back and let me know you are coming and what you would like to help with.
- On May 17th sign in at the S.O.D.A. booth located at the soccer fields.
- Then, have fun and make some new friends.
Remember to dress in layers. Feel free to bring your dogs as long as you can keep an eye on them.