DPR Customer Service: (202) 673-7647
DPR Media Contacts:
Michael Tucker Jr., (202) 717-4242, [email protected]
Gregory Jackson Jr., (202) 714-9550, [email protected]
(Washington, DC) - The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will spring a new fitness trend on District residents that combines jogging and picking up litter, along with a few other things including an urban farm to farm walk as part of Mayor Muriel Bowser's "Citywide Clean Up" for Earth Day weekend.
The two plogging events, scheduled for the weekend, give residents a unique way to clean their neighborhoods. The term plogging is a combination the Swedish term “plocka upp,” meaning to pick up and the word “jogging.” While the plogging craze is slowly taking hold stateside, DPR is leading the way in the DC area.
“The act of plogging fits our mission to ‘Move, Grow, Be Green’ to a tee,” said DPR Director Keith A. Anderson.
Featured Earth Day Event
Citywide Earth Day Plogging and After Party - Sunday, April 22 (Earth Day) 10:00 a.m. – Raymond Recreation Center (3725 10th St. NW)
Participants will meet up at various locations and run to several parks as they incorporate bending and squatting to their trek focusing on plastic bottles and other trash along the route. As Ploggers finish their District tour with full trash bags in hand, the celebration will continue at VIDA Fitness’ U Street location at 1612 U Street, NW, where participants can enjoy complimentary waters and taco bowls from Takorean.
Plogging Locations: Raymond Recreation Center (Petworth/GA Ave. Metro – Green Line) · 11th & Monroe Park · Powell Recreation Center · Girard Street Park · Harrison Playground
Event page - Inaugural Citywide Earth Day Plogging and After Party
Saturday Pre- Earth Day Events
DC Plogging Uptown & Ward 4 Block Party - Saturday, April 21, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Small Park (North Capitol and Kennedy Streets NW)
Join Mayor Muriel Bowser, DPR and Uptown Main Street in celebrating Earth Day with a plogging fun run and trash pickup. After plogging, help with trash and plantings at the small park on 14th & Kennedy St NW while enjoying food, games and fellowship!
Event Page: DC Plogging Uptown & Ward 4 Block Party
Farm to Farm Walk and Corridor Cleanup - Saturday April 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Kelly Miller Recreation Center (4900 Brooks Street NE)
Join My Brother's Keeper DC, in partnership with DPR and Dreaming Out Loud for a day of planting fruits and vegetables at Kelly Miller Farm and cleaning up the neighborhood from Kelly Miller to the East Capitol Farm as we send a message to all of DC about the importance of the DC urban farm system as food options for families especially in the “food desert” of Wards 7 and 8.
Event page: Farm to Farm Walk
Forest Hills Park-wide Spring Cleaning – Saturday April 21, 10 a.m. to Noon – Forrest Hills Playground (32nd and Chesapeake Streets NW)
Help show your love for DPR’s all-ages park and Rock Creek Park – Forest Hills Park is part of the Rock Creek and Potomac watershed. Teens can earn community service credit.
Event Page: Forest Hills Park Clean Up
For more information visit DPR.events.
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About DPR
The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) provides quality urban recreation and leisure services for residents and visitors to the District of Columbia. DPR supervises and maintains area parks, community facilities, swimming pools and spray parks, and neighborhood recreation centers. The agency also coordinates a wide variety of recreation and educational programs including sports leagues, youth development, therapeutic recreation, aquatic programming, outdoor adventure, camping, and senior citizen activities. Adaptive programs and facilities are available for persons with disabilities.