National Park Service

From 1999-2007 volunteers of The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission in Massachusetts and Rhode Island received a ChemArt commemorative volunteer National Park Service medal in a special ceremony after they have 5 years of service. The volunteers are presented the medal on a red, white and blue lanyard or display it on an ornament stand. Suzanne Buchanan, Volunteer Coordinator, said, “I look at the ornament as an opportunity to recognize volunteers; it isn’t always for a tree.”

The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, designated by Congress in 1986, is composed of 24 cities and towns on 500 square miles of land in the watershed of the Blackstone River.

The 46-mile long Blackstone River, named an American Heritage River in 1998, is the focal point and main artery of the region. As the site of America’s first textile mill, this area is the “Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution.”

The Blackstone River runs from Worcester, MA to Providence, RI. Its waters powered the Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI, America's first successful textile mill. This creative spark began the nation's transformation from Farm to Factory. Today, the Blackstone River Valley is a special

type of National Park - a living landscape containing thousands of natural and historic treasures.

The commission has more than 175 volunteers who lead historic tours, guide nature walks, lead river paddlers along the many available waterways, or help keep the Blackstone River clean. “A very sweet volunteer opportunity,” according to Suzanne, is the 3-weekend maple sugaring event in which 1,700 people recently participated. Suzanne also mentioned National Volunteer Week in April as an important time to communicate and thank her many volunteers, who are especially valuable as they enhance programs when funding cuts are made to educational and recreational programs.

For more information on the Blackstone River Valley Corridor,
please visit their website at http://www.nps.gov/blac/.

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