January 7, 2025 (PEORIA, IL): On Tuesday, January 14, at 10 a.m., members of PeoriaCorps will participate in a service project in honor of the Martin Luther King Junior Day of Service in the 700 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Drive.
Corps members will remove a large patch of bush honeysuckle and replant the area with a mix of native grasses and wildflowers, both beneficial for stormwater runoff. Bush honeysuckle is a highly invasive shrub that negatively affects native plants and alters ecosystems by affecting soil composition.
Amanda Wilson, Program Director for PeoriaCorps, stated, “This service project embodies Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community by improving the safety and aesthetics of the area by removing undesirable shrubs and replanting with beneficial flowers for pollinators, songbirds, and other wildlife.”
Once the work is complete, informational signage will be posted in the project area, educating passersby on the many benefits of native, urban landscapes.
The public is invited to participate in the community clean-up, held in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and in the AmeriCorps theme of “Building a Beloved Community.” Volunteers should dress according to the weather, wear sturdy work gloves, and park in the block of 500 N. Sheridan.
For more information on PeoriaCorps, please visit the city of Peoria website.