SCA & Domtar Serving the Planet in Waco, Texas

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Domtar Employees Give Back at Cameron Park

Domtar and Student Conservation Association youth volunteers conserve parks in Waco, Texas.On October 3rd, over 80 Domtar employees and their families woke up early on a Saturday morning to plant trees, repair fencing, move loads of mulch, and combat invasive plants at Cameron Park. The volunteer effort was organized by the Student Conservation Association as part of their national partnership with Domtar Paper.

Domtar and Student Conservation Association youth volunteers conserve parks in Waco, Texas.

 

Since 2012, Domtar has supported SCA’s urban initiatives for youth across the country. In addition to supporting youth programs, Domtar is also committed to sharing the value of service with their own employees. Saturday’s volunteer event in Waco was the eighth employee volunteer day Domtar and SCA have organized across the country over the past three years.

SCA crew leaders traveled from Washington, DC; Oakland, CA; and Dallas, TX to help facilitate the project in Waco. SCA leader Aaron Gray, who has guided several SCA crews of urban teens in restoring local parks in Oakland, spoke to the empowering nature of hands-on service. “After today you can come back to Cameron Park and say ‘I made a difference here,’”Aaron told his group of volunteers. “That’s a powerful thing — whether you’re a young person in the inner city or a community member anywhere in the country.”

Domtar and Student Conservation Association youth volunteers conserve parks in Waco, Texas.By the end of the day Domtar volunteers had planted 50 yucca plants and several trees, spread over 40 cubic yards of mulch in the park’s playground, repaired 200 feet of fencing, removed over 400 pounds of trash and invasive plants, AND repainted the Little League building in time for baseball season. “Cameron Park relies on volunteers,” said Graeme Siebel of Waco Parks and Recreation. “We couldn’t accomplish nearly as much without these efforts.”

Before the group departed, several high school students asked how they could do more with SCA. “Hopefully we planted a seed here today,” said SCA Events Manager Lori Robertson, “not only through the trees we planted but also through the kids we inspired. I hope to see them out with SCA again as future conservation leaders.”

Domtar and Student Conservation Association youth volunteers conserve parks in Waco, Texas.Saturday’s event followed recent successful partnership projects with Domtar in Wisconsin, Arkansas, and North Carolina. SCA will team up with Domtar again this spring to host employees in conservation service in Canada. Big thanks to Domtar for their continuing support of SCA programs across the country!