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Thinking about volunteering with the American River Parkway Foundation in 2026? Each month, we’re highlighting one of our many volunteers to show you why that might just be the best idea you’ll have all year. First up is Erin Drinkwater, who’s volunteered as a Mile Steward for the last five years. “I love the American River Parkway because it is a true gem in the Sacramento area that brings people together through nature, recreation, and shared stewardship,” Erin tells the ARPF. “It’s a place where community is built, whether you’re walking the trails, volunteering, or simply enjoying the river. It creates a strong sense of connection and belonging.” Erin has served as a Volunteer Mile Steward for five years, but she first got involved with the ARPF because of her sister and fellow Mile Steward, Annie, who regularly invited Erin to river clean-ups. After ten years of volunteering alongside her sister, Erin decided to become a Mile Steward herself. Today, she hosts her own clean-up events and volunteers at the ARPF’s Spring Clean-Up and Great American River Clean-Up (GARCU). “I continue to volunteer to set an example for my five-year-old daughter,” Erin says before reminiscing on some of her favorite volunteer memories. “During GARCU 2024, I served as the captain at Sailor Bar. The entire Bella Vista Wrestling team, along with their coaches, showed up to volunteer. I remember feeling overwhelmed at first, but the group was incredible, which quickly made the experience both easy and fun. High school students are always enjoyable to host, but when you bring together a team of athletes, you truly get to see teamwork in action.” Erin’s passion for volunteering began in college when she took a Recreation/Leisure Studies class. Part of the class requirement was a trash pick-up field trip. “I was pleasantly surprised by how much I bonded with my classmates,” Erin says. This sense of connection and community is something Erin continues to find as a volunteer with the ARPF.  “At last year’s Spring Clean-Up, I was teamed with Trish, Carol, and Adele, three women I had never met before. I honestly can’t remember a time when I had more fun volunteering. They were welcoming, respectful, kind, funny, and open to my ideas and help. The four of us worked seamlessly together. I learned so much that day, not just about the work, but from those three women themselves. Meeting such incredible people through volunteering and feeling that sense of belonging is truly special.” When asked what Erin would tell someone who’s thinking about volunteering, she doesn’t hesitate: “Don’t wait, act now. The only thing you’ll regret is not doing it sooner. It’s a great way to meet new people, build connections, and simply get outside to enjoy the fresh air. Volunteering lets you see the impact of your efforts firsthand and leaves you feeling good about the difference you’re making.” The American River Parkway Foundation depends on the support of thousands of volunteers and hundreds of businesses and organizations annually… Continue reading Volunteer as a Mile Steward with Erin Drinkwater

1,200 volunteers fan out to beautify the 23-mile American River Parkway in a single day The collective effort is a decades-long tradition and no small feat. Organizers said typical trash hauls range from 30,000 to 40,000 pounds of collected in a single day. Saturday morning, the American River set as the backdrop for a massive community cleanup as 1,200 volunteers spread across 20 locations along the 23-mile American River Parkway, giving new life to one of Sacramento’s most beloved wildland corridors. “There are about 8 million individual visits each year on the parkway, and when you compare that for example to Yosemite National Park that’s over twice as many people as visit Yosemite every year,” said Dan Hall, noting the parkway’s outsized role in daily life across the region. He said the day’s effort is designed to match that scale of use, neighbors, families and civic groups collecting the trash that doesn’t belong in nature. Read More

Junk removal company partners with volunteers on Great American River Clean-Up By Rosalio Ahumada Khamsone Manisisaket slipped his hands into a pair of black protective gloves Saturday and climbed into a Junk King truck to carefully pack in garbage collected by volunteers in an annual event to clean up along the American River Parkway in Sacramento. “This is a beautiful place to be. And it’s heartbreaking just to see this, how we treat Earth sometimes,” said Manisisaket, an assistant general manager for Junk King. “And I like to see that we’re out here cleaning, and we’re working on it. We’re making it better.” Read More

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) – Young artists brushed up their entomology during a recent paint-out. The activity was part of the American River Parkway Foundation’s ‘Adventure days’ series. The experience included a nature walk on trails surrounding the Outdoor Education Center in River Bend Park (Rancho Cordova). Children learned about native butterflies then painted the insects in their habitat. Artistic instruction came from Heart Craft Studios of Rancho Cordova. Read More

American River Parkway Foundation Executive Director Dianna Poggetto and John Costa with PG&E. Guests were encouraged to wear white to the ARPF Summer Solstice, which was held at the American River Parkway’s William B. Pond Recreation Area. The event included food from Black Hat Catering, cocktails from Midtown Spirits and wine from Rombauer, Di Stasio and Scott Harvey. Click here to see more.