How to Make Helping the Wissahickon Your Business
FOW photo
ZS Associates volunteers gather under the Walnut Lane bridge with the fruits of their labors.
by
Maura McCarthy, Executive Director, Friends of the Wissahickon
There’s still time to sign up for Friends of the Wissahickon’s 3rd annual All Trails Challenge.
A family (and dog!)-friendly activity that encourages outdoor enthusiasts of all ages to hike, run, bike or horseback ride all 50 miles of Wissahickon Valley Park’s scenic trails, ATC runs through Nov. 27. It’s not a race, and you don’t have to be an athlete. Friends, family and coworkers can join your effort by sponsoring you. To keep you going, there are fundraising incentives and lots of giveaways with great prizes. All registered participants with a minimum of $50 raised or contributed are eligible for prizes.
Register at fow.org/alltrailschallenge.
Imagine starting your work day under the tree canopy in the Wissahickon. Employees with ZS Associates did just that this summer when a group from the management-consulting firm’s Philadelphia office spent a cleanup day with Friends of the Wissahickon. Through its ZS Cares program, ZS employees collected trash and filled nearly 40 garbage bags at a popular trail access point under the Henry Avenue Bridge and along the Yellow Trail.
Likewise, employees from Susquehanna Growth Equity and Berkshire Bank collected rubbish around Devil’s Pool, folks from Campbell’s Soup came out for one of our public cleanup days and volunteers from the Philadelphia Insurance Companies removed invasives along Livezey Lane.
Corporate citizenship really does make an impact on the Wissahickon and on the employees who participate in corporate work days. These and other local businesses are giving FOW critical support needed to protect, preserve and enhance the park and help to reduce the impact of more than 1 million visits each year.
These corporate group outings provide other benefits as well. They’re a fun, morale-boosting way to get employees away from the office and into nature. They instill a feeling of satisfaction and pride in doing something that takes care of a place they and their families know and love. We love seeing them in their company-branded gear and how excited they are at the results of their hard work.
A recent survey from Deloitte showed that people want to work for companies “that create a culture committed to making an impact and to tapping into their employees’ sense of purpose.”
Businesses can even schedule a hike led by one of our Wissahickon experts tailored to their employees’ specific interests — history, birds and much more, at any time of year, even winter in the beautiful woods. Sponsoring any of FOW’s many events is another great way for local companies to get involved.
Contributions, big or small, are what drives our success as stewards of this amazing urban oasis. We are grateful for the support of our many community corporate partners. On behalf of everyone at FOW, thank you — and we’ll see you soon in the Wissahickon!
Companies interested in volunteering in Wissahickon Valley Park or scheduling a special outing can contact Shawn Green, Volunteer Coordinator, at green@fow.org or the FOW office at 215-247-0417.