CAFA youth volunteers volunteer during Lunar new year

The Chinese New Year, also called lunar new year celebration, is an especially important event in many East Asian cultures. It is based on the lunar calendar, which has 13 months each with 28 days. This year, the lunar new year was on Saturday February 10th. 

Usually, on this auspicious occasion, Chinese families would be celebrating together. However, a group of 17 CAFA (Chinese American Friendship Association) youth volunteers, including myself, chose to volunteer at Brooker creek instead on the Chinese New Year Day (the Lunar New Year Day).  

The invasive plants removal projects started at around 10AM this Sunday. 17 CAFA youth volunteers, along with park and recreation service staff, and other community volunteers, gathered at the Booker Creek Trail near the Daley Road entrance (see map attached below). 

The park and recreation service provided tools, gloves, and water for the activity. Volunteers took turns to get their tools and gloves, then headed towards the project area (red box on the map below). The entire activity took about 2 hours to complete. 

Red Box – Invasive Plants Removal Project Area, about 2 acres

Take tools and gloves!

Pulling Out A heavy branch

Chapel Hill City Council Member Amy Ryan (Right) Joined the Workforce

Youth Volunteers work with their parents

The Chapel Hill Park and Recreation Service, in collaboration with local volunteers, has been tirelessly working on the removal of invasive species from September to May each year. The invasive species targeted include Privet, Elaeagnus, Japanese Honeysuckle, among others. This ongoing effort emphasizes the importance of community collaboration and the shared responsibility of preserving and protecting local ecosystems.

By choosing to contribute to the Brook Creek Invasive Plants Removal Project on Chinese New Year, these youth volunteers exemplified the values of service and environmental stewardship championed by CAFA. The decision to dedicate their time to a cause larger than themselves underscores the association’s commitment to bridging cultural gaps while actively working towards the betterment of the local environment.