(Groveland, CA, August 26, 2024) – Visit Tuolumne County and local organizations are proud to join forces with the Yosemite Climbing Association to host the 3rd Annual Groveland Facelift on Saturday, September 14, 2024. Groveland Facelift is under the umbrella of the well-established Yosemite Facelift event in Yosemite National Park, which is in its 21st year. The event in Groveland begins at Mary Laveroni Park in town, and from there volunteers will disperse to trails, roads, and public space in the surrounding area to clean up trash and recycling, including Old Priest Grade which will be temporarily closed from 9:00 to 11:00am.
Local participating partners include Rush Creek Lodge & Spa, Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite, Echo Adventure Cooperative, Groveland Trail Heads, the U.S. Forest Service Groveland Ranger District, Tuolumne County Public Works, and Visit Tuolumne County. Event sponsors include La Sportiva, Clif Bar, Royal Robbins, Patagonia, The North Face, and the Groveland Community Services District.
President & CEO, Lisa Mayo comments, “It's exciting to build on the success of a large, established volunteer clean-up event and bring attention to our Yosemite gateway community, Groveland. Visit Tuolumne County is thrilled to collaborate with local partners and proud to be part of this event, supporting sustainability and stewardship in our County.”
The clean-up begins at 8:00am at Mary Laveroni Park in Groveland and will be followed by an after party at 2:00pm at the same location featuring food, refreshments, prizes, and an amusing presentation by Yosemite Climbing Association’s Founder and President, Ken Yager.
Some Yosemite gateway partners are adding incentives to volunteer and help with the clean-up. Rush Creek’s award-winning “Trade Trash for Spa Treatments” is back by popular demand. Overnight guests of Rush Creek Lodge & Spa, Evergreen Lodge, or Firefall Ranch who volunteer at either the Groveland Facelift or Yosemite Facelift will receive a complimentary magnesium foot soak and Spa Day Use at Rush Creek Spa when they turn in the trash they collected.
Pre-registration for Groveland Facelift is open now at yosemiteclimbing.org/2024-groveland-facelift. Those wishing to volunteer can also show up the day of. It is free to participate. Equipment is provided.
2023 Groveland Facelift Results:
About Yosemite Facelift: Yosemite National Park’s annual park-wide cleanup event, Yosemite Facelift, is proudly celebrating its 21st year this September, with significantly expanded programming and partnerships. Founded in 2003 by Ken Yager, President of the Yosemite Climbing Association, Yosemite Facelift has grown into a transformative week-long event, bringing together volunteers from around the world to contribute to the preservation of this cherished national treasure. Yosemite Facelift was conceived as a way for climbers to give back to Yosemite after each bustling summer tourist and climbing season, instilling a sense of stewardship and environmental responsibility among participants.
This year’s Yosemite Facelift takes place in Yosemite, September 25-29, 2024, with volunteer opportunities from as little as an hour to larger multi-day projects. There are daily giveaways, guest speakers, and music. This initiative has inspired similar cleanups in over 20 additional locations across America, including the 3rd annual Groveland Facelift September 14, 2024. To participate in any Facelift event, interested individuals must pre-register at yosemiteclimbing.org.
Yosemite Facelift remains committed to preserving the natural splendor of Yosemite National Park and encourages everyone to join this noble cause; and Visit Tuolumne County is honored and eager to support the local Groveland Facelift event. By fostering a spirit of camaraderie and fun while cleaning up the environment, Yosemite Facelift continues to inspire a worldwide community of volunteers dedicated to preserving our precious natural heritage. For more information and to participate in Yosemite Facelift, please visit yosemiteclimbing.org.
ABOUT VISIT TUOLUMNE COUNTY
Visit Tuolumne (“to-all-o-me”) County (VTC) is the official destination marketing organization for Tuolumne County in Northern California with a mission to increase visitation, travel spending and overnight stays. Tuolumne County is just a 2 1/2-hour drive east of the San Francisco Bay Area. The destination is known for its pristine, scenic expanse reaching into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Gold was discovered in Tuolumne County in 1848, setting off the major gold rush of 1849. The main highways leading to the picturesque drive from the Bay Area are Highways 108 and 120 from the west and Highway 49 from the north. The State Highway 120 West entrance to Yosemite National Park is considered the “front door” of the park for the Bay Area. The Stanislaus National Forest, Yosemite National Park and other surrounding areas provide natural vistas and settings for hiking, water skiing, horseback riding, rafting, camping, snowmobiling, boating, snow skiing, fishing and other outdoor activities. Seven restored historic hotels, four golf courses, numerous and varied dining establishments, historic saloons, four wineries, a hard cider distillery, train rides, casinos, seven museums, two state historic parks, two live theaters, many bed-and-breakfast inns and a variety of Airbnb accommodations are among the many other attributes that make the county a year-round vacation destination. For more information, go to VistTCToday.com.
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Media Contact: Lisa Mayo, President & CEO, Visit Tuolumne County
lisa@gotuolumne.com
209-533-4420
