

Annual Signature Events
24th Annual Cape Cod Canal Clean Up (2025)
- Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025
- Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Location: Herring Run Recreation Area (810 Scenic HWY, Bourne, MA 02532)
- Registration: https://www.capecod.gov/Canal-Clean-Up-2025
AmeriCorps Cape Cod and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are proud to host the 24th Annual Cape Cod Canal Clean Up on Saturday, April 19, 2025. The event, held in honor of Earth Day, invites community members to preserve and beautify the region’s most distinct landmark.
The event is free and open to the public. Volunteers of any kind, including families, clubs, and businesses, are encouraged to register. Participants will gather at the Herring Run Recreation Area from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to remove litter and debris along the Cape Cod Canal. All necessary cleanup supplies, including gloves and trash bags, will be provided. Participants will also enjoy a complimentary lunch, family-friendly activities, and more after the cleanup. Collected trash will be weighed to determine how much litter was diverted from the waterway.
Interested volunteers can register online by scanning the QR code on the event flyer or by visiting: https://www.capecod.gov/Canal-Clean-Up-202
For those unable to attend on April 19, alternative cleanup opportunities can be arranged. Volunteers or individuals with questions can contact Brendan Williamson at brendan.williamson@capecod.gov for more information.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a National Day of Service and charged AmeriCorps the Agency with leading this effort. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a National Day of Service — a “day on, not a day off.” The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President’s national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, fosters collaboration, creates solutions to societal challenges, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a harmonious community.
Learn more about this national day of service!
20+ Years of Our MLK Day of Service

YR23 MLK Day: AmeriCorps Cape Cod and volunteers teamed up with CARE for the Cape and Islands to clean up multiple beaches across Cape Cod on a wintery MLK Day.

Year 4: AmeriCorps Cape Cod members and volunteers painted condominiums for the organization Living Independently Forever, Inc. (LIFE). This organization encourages and facilitates adults with learning disabilities to live independently.

Year 7: AmeriCorps Cape Cod gave a few bathrooms a fresh coat of paint at Champ Homes and the library inside of the Carriage House

YR17 MLK Day: AmeriCorps Cape Cod and volunteers constructed handmade gifts for donation from recyclable materials, including planters from tin cans, bird feeders from plastic bottles, and reusable bags from old t-shirts.

Year 9: AmeriCorps Cape Cod members and volunteers gathered to make 14 quilts, which were later donated to Independence House, Champ Homes, Helping Our Women, A Baby Center, Falmouth Service Center, and Barnstable County.

Year 11: AmeriCorps Cape Cod and volunteers collected nearly 4,000 food items and were distributed to the Harwich Family Pantry.

Year 13: AmeriCorps Cape Cod and volunteers construct garden beds for a local farm!
National Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week, a program of Points of Light, was established in 1974 and has grown exponentially each year, with thousands of volunteer projects and special events scheduled throughout the week across the nation. It’s about inspiring and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities, and demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals.

Year 15: National Volunteer Week was “All Access Brewster”-Broader access points to the community and recreational sites across the town of Brewster were constructed by AmeriCorps members and local volunteers.

Year 17: National Volunteer Week was “Celebrating the Cape Cod National Seashore Centennial”- we partnered with the Cape Cod National Seashore, holding service projects to help prepare “Our Park” for their centennial celebration that summer.