The Vicksburg community is fortunate to be comprised of individuals who are willing to get their hands dirty for one of the city’s greatest treasures, and on Saturday more than 40 people came together to participate in National Public Lands Day, which was held at the Vicksburg National Military Park.

“Across the country people are doing service projects to support their public lands,” Molly Cadwell, VNMP volunteer coordinator, said.

Local volunteers spent the morning cleaning up the rose garden at the Shirley House and painting cannon carriages.

“I’m just cleaning up around the rose bushes, (clearing out) all the debris and weeds,” volunteer Fredrick Grace said. “It’s helping our environment, and it enhances our Military Park. It’s history.”

The executive director of the Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park Bess Averett said the National Park Service motto for its centennial year has been “Find Your Park” and was glad so many people came out and found this park Saturday.

“We’ve had a really great turnout, and it’s amazing what a big group can do in two hours,” Averett said.

More positive happenings in Vicksburg this week:

• Mississippi Secretary Delbert Hosemann and State Sen. Chad McMahan, R-Guntown, came to Vicksburg Thursday to tour Vicksburg Warren School District schools and came away impressed.

“I was very excited to see what I saw today; the enthusiasm of the students, the enthusiasm from the educators and the way administration supported the educators on the ground, in the front line,” said McMahan, whose senate district includes portions of Lee and Itawamba counties.

Hosemann said he and McMahan both share an interest in education from pre-kindergarten through vocational-technical education and are looking at additional ways the public school system could be as competitive or more competitive.

“We have some positive things happening in Vicksburg,” Hosemann said.

• On Friday, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Friday approved a resolution declaring a 1998 ambulance surplus and donated it to the Vicksburg Warren School District’s Career and Technical Center on the Hinds Community College Vicksburg-Warren Campus to help train students interested in being first responders or paramedics.
“What this (the ambulance) does is add real world relevance to the classroom,” South Ward Alderman Willis Thompson said.

• The 10th annual Bridging the Gap 5K Walk/Run/Stroll or Roll-a-Thon, sponsored by the Living Independence for Everyone organization was held Saturday. Proceeds for the event went towards LIFE’s work providing services for those with disabilities.