For some people, a birthday wish means cake, candles or a quiet dinner with friends.

For one Jefferson Park neighbor, it means gloves, shovels and a few hours spent caring for a place she loves.

Bre Fokes’ wish to celebrate her birthday by giving back to the park she loves has turning into a community volunteer work party from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on July 1. Neighbors and community members are invited to help restore a corner of the park that has become overgrown with invasive plants.

Fokes’ hope is simple: bring people together, clear out invasive growth and help turn an underused patch of the park into a healthier, more welcoming space for the neighborhood and park visitors.

Volunteers will help remove invasive plants and make space for a healthier park landscape.

“Through my work with the Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition, I’ve learned how much of a difference a little care and restoration can make,” said Fokes, a neighbor of Jefferson Park. “It made me want to bring some of that energy home and give back to my own backyard. I want to teach my kids to be good stewards!”

Jefferson Park is a familiar gathering place for many nearby families, walkers and neighbors. While Parks Tacoma hosts volunteer work parties throughout the park system, Jefferson Park has not traditionally been one of the agency’s regular volunteer stewardship sites. This summer work party is an opportunity to change that by starting small with a neighbor’s idea and a few helping hands.

“I love the big old trees and how easy it is to spend an afternoon here.” said Fokes, “We picnic in the park, play catch, kick a soccer ball around, and enjoy the splash pad in the summer. I’ve also hosted a birthday softball game here for years, so the park holds a lot of sweet memories for me.”

The focus area for the work party at the park is modest in size, but the impact could be meaningful. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants, open up the space and support a healthier park landscape.

The project is also a reminder that park stewardship often starts with one person noticing a place that could use some extra care.

“Sometimes the most meaningful volunteer projects begin with a neighbor saying, ‘I care about this place, and I want to help,’” said Community & Special Projects Coordinator, Chloe Gronlund. “This is a great example of local community stewardship in action.”

Families, neighbors and first-time volunteers are encouraged to join. The work party will be held from 1-4 pm on Wednesday, July 1, with registration available at ParksTacoma.gov/event/jefferson-park-work-party

Whether volunteers come for the whole afternoon or just part of it, the goal is the same: celebrate community, support Jefferson Park and help make one small corner a little brighter.