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The Allegheny National Forest will once again hold a shoreline cleanup of the Allegheny Reservoir on Saturday, May 11.

Volunteers are to meet at the Red Bridge Campground on State Rt. 321 by 8:30 a.m. Red Bridge Recreation Area is located 9 miles northwest of Kane, along the Longhouse National Scenic Byway (State Route 321).  It is on the eastern shore of Kinzua Bay, a southern branch of the Allegheny Reservoir.

Volunteers should dress for the weather, as the cleanup will be held rain or shine. The work should be completed by 4 p.m. All volunteers need to bring a lunch, drinking water and gloves, and wear long pants and closed-toe shoes or boots.

Preregistration is requested by Friday, May 3 at (814) 728-6163 or at nwelker@fs.fed.us.

Individuals and groups, such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, are welcome to participate. All volunteers must sign a volunteer agreement, and parental consent and adult supervision is required for any person under the age of 18.

Spring means it’s time to spruce up Erie’s neighborhoods, and the United Way is leading an effort to mobilize as many as 4,000 volunteers to help clean up local nonprofit organizations between Saturday and April  28.

The weeklong event, known as Days of Caring, has more than 30 projects to choose from at various Erie locations. The projects are of all types and sizes, so there’s sure to be something that fits your schedule and your skill level. Volunteers are needed for activities ranging from general cleaning, such as removing trash and debris, to painting, gardening and making minor repairs. Much of the work will be outdoors, so be prepared for all types of weather.

One of the most popular events is the Presque Isle State Park cleanup, which takes place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you want to help get the beaches ready for summer, just show up and register at the Rotary Pavilion between 9 and 11 a.m.

To find a schedule of Days of Caring cleanup events or to get involved, visit http://getconnected.unitedwayerie.org.

The Audubon Center and Sanctuary in Jamestown, N.Y., will celebrate an early Earth Day with a volunteer day on Saturday, April 20.

Volunteers are needed to help the center make its buildings and grounds more beautiful. The event will take place rain or shine and is guaranteed to be fun. After the hard work, lunch will be provided to all volunteers.

Volunteers are asked to report for registration between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Then, at 9 a.m., volunteers will select a work crew to join. Work will take place from 9:30 a.m. to noon; lunch will be served and prizes awarded starting at noon.

There will be tasks for every age and ability. Participants can choose among work crews assigned to pull non-native plants, plant native seeds and shrubs, spruce up the gardens, pick up trash as part of Audubon’s roadside cleanup effort and possibly others.

Participants are encouraged to dress for the weather in clothes that can get dirty and bring work gloves if they have them.

To help plan for food, volunteers are asked to make reservations by calling (716) 569-2345, sending an e-mail to info@jamestownaudubon.org, or using the online form by following the links at http://jamestownaudubon.org/.

A screenshot of the map of cleanup sites in the Erie region.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Verizon Telecom Pioneers, the Ocean Conservancy and local organizations will be cleaning up Presque Isle State Park, the Lake Erie shoreline and streams on Sept. 15.

The local cleanup is part of the 27th Annual International Coastal Cleanup.

Volunteers will collect trash and record what they find. The trash records will be used to help end littering in the Erie area.

The cleanup will run from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

GoErie.com has a complete list of cleanup sites, an interactive map and more information. Visit goerie.com/coastalcleanup to learn more.

We’re in the midst of the United Way of Erie County’s Days of Caring, and there are still several great ways to get involved.

The United Way said that each year, thousands of Erie County residents, including about 500 youth,  come out and do some spring cleaning in their neighborhood during the Days of Caring.

Here’s a few of the current listings:

All week long, volunteers are needed to clean up the area surround the Our Lady Christian School at 606 Lowell Avenue in Erie.

The Robbin Blass Neighborhood Watch needs help cleaning up the Pebble Lake Park at Washington Avenue and Cold Spring Drive on Saturday.

The Westside Squires and volunteers will be picking up trash and landscaping Washington Park and Irving School on Monday through Friday from 4 to 5 p.m.

For the complete listing of openings, check out this spreadsheet.

The Days of Caring last until Sunday.

To get involved, contact Nicole at nicole@unitedwayerie.org of by telephone at 456-2937.