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Volunteer Opportunities

volunteers painting a pavilion

Park Partners Program

The Centre Region Park Partners Program is an initiative started in 1998 that encourages public and private groups' members to volunteer to assist with various improvements to municipal park areas. Volunteer projects have provided many valuable improvements to our park areas over the years such painting pavilions, mulching flower beds, raking and blowing leaves, clean-up of storm debris, maintaining bocce, outdoor volleyball courts, and other park projects.  Many individuals also volunteer through State College's United Way's Day of Caring, the Annual Earth Day projects, and special projects by scouting, community, and civic groups.

How Does My Group Get Involved?

Park Partner groups may adopt an entire park or a designated section or feature within that park, and adoptions are for a two-year period. At a minimum, groups are asked to plan, execute, and report on three organized group workdays per year at their adopted park. The best time of year for work days are early Spring, mid-Summer, and late Fall. The work days may coincide with community-wide volunteer events such as the Park Partner Day (each Spring) or the United Way Day of Caring (each October).

Groups are asked to provide two-three weeks advance notice to CRPR’s Park Maintenance Department for their requested work days. During the two-year adoption period, the Park Partner groups work with CRPR Park Maintenance to help keep their park clean, safe, and attractive. Depending on the park, the group's responsibilities may include:

  • Picking up litter, debris, and downed branches
  • Maintaining paths and trails (such as pruning a trail corridor or spreading woodchips)
  • Maintaining planting beds, raking leaves, and pulling weeds
  • Identifying and reporting any safety hazards at the park site

Park Partner Recognition

A sign will be posted at the selected park site which indicates the group involved with the site. All Park Partner Groups are listed on CRPR’s website (see table below), and each Park Partner will be awarded a Certificate of Appreciation at the successful conclusion of the two-year period.

How To Become A Park Partner

All types of organizations can work together to improve municipal parks in the Centre Region. The following groups are eligible to become a Park Partner: local employee organizations, service groups, scout troops, school groups, clubs and youth groups, church groups, fraternities and sororities, neighborhood associations, and family groups.

First, all potential groups should more about the Park Partner program and policies HERE. Then, when groups are ready for the next step, Group Leaders should download the Park Partner Agreement; this agreement is a Fillable PDF. You can complete the document, and then save it to your computer. Once the document is complete, you can email it as an attachment to CRPR to mail it to CRPR Park Maintenance, 2929 Stewart Drive, #303, State College, PA 16801.

Once your group is approved, Group Leaders will work CRPR’s Parks Maintenance Department to coordinate their three work days per year.

Visit our current Park Partners Roster and see all of the great work done the past few years!