Community Events From: The San Diego River Park Foundation

Get outside, connect with an amazing community, and help bring a new eco-park to life!  Join us for a fun and fulfilling morning at Grant Park, where you’ll connect with others, enjoy the fresh air, and make a real difference. You'll play an integral role in beautification and maintenance of the park, including trash pick-up, graffiti removal, irrigation and equipment maintenance, and more!

About Grant Park: This new nature education center and eco-park in the heart of Mission Valley offers free STEM and environmental learning for underserved students and engaging nature programs for all ages—serving as a vibrant beacon of green space along the San Diego River for the entire community!

This is an excellent opportunity for individuals with a flexible schedule to contribute 2 hours of service. Events are held every Thursday from 8 AM to 10 AM. Find other Grant Park volunteer events HERE!

Here are a few tips to help you prepare for the event: Bring trash grabbers, shovels, and gloves (if you have them)Attire: Long pants and closed-toe shoes are requiredOther Items to Bring: Reusable water bottle, hat, other forms of sun protection
Weather: Light rain will not cancel the eventFor safety reasons, no pets are allowed at this eventThere are restroom facilities at this locationAll ages are welcome, but those under 16 need supervision. Ages 16 and 17 are allowed alone but with a parent signature.

Do you want to explore the beauty of the San Diego River Trail, but you do not know how or feel unsafe doing it on your own? Do you cycle, skate, or scoot?

Then join us for a fun HOLIDAY THEMED rolling tour of the beautiful San Diego River to learn about flora, fauna, and how to become an advocate for your community.

(Please note: If you can't make this one, we hope to hold more of these fun, guided rolling river trail tours. If you would like to be notified when the next event is, sign up for our Rollin' with the River interest form! )

We will begin at Grant Park with an introduction to the backstory of the area, rolling to Fashion Valley mall and back, covering topics like the development of Mission Valley and First San Diego River Improvement Project (FSDRIP).

Event Itinerary

11AM: Meetup

11:30AM: Rollout

12:30PM: Return to Grant Park, explore Holiday Art Festival

2PM: Festival end

Location

GRANT PARK, 2310 Camino Del Rio North, San Diego, 92108

NOTE: This is a beautiful, but challenging roll due to large cracks. If you are skating, this is an INTERMEDIATE path and we highly advise you to bring gummy/soft wheels and knee pads/wrist guards at minimum. Come skate with us if you like an adventure!

All Wheels Welcome

photos by @chris.parkes.photo

See below for a clip of the trail from @SkatingSanDiego on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by San Diego Skate Spots! (@skatingsandiego)

Calling all hands on deck! The San Diego River Park foundation is hosting its first ever FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS HOLIDAY CELEBRATION AND ART MARKET and we need YOUR help.

Roles needed

Serving Cider/Cookies

Parking Attendant

Tidying/Litter/Custodial

Program Assistants (wreath making, various stations)

Outreach

--->Click the blue SIGN UP button above to register as a volunteer for the event! INDIVIDUAL LINKS FOR EVENTS DURING SCHEDULE:

RSVP FOR ROLLIN' WITH THE RIVER 11AM-1PM

Do you want to explore the beauty of the San Diego River Trail, but you do not know how or feel unsafe doing it on your own? Do you cycle, skate, or scoot? Then join us for a fun HOLIDAY THEMED rolling tour of the beautiful San Diego River to learn about flora, fauna, and how to become an advocate for your community.

RSVP FOR MISSION VALLEY GARDEN CLUB 9-11AM

If you want to help care for native plants and pollinator gardens at the park, start out the morning at our garden club (just before the holiday event). Dig in and connect with nature and then enjoy the holiday fun after! 

Help us provide free hands-on nature-based STEM learning experiences to deserving kids.

Imagine a role where you can combine your love for the great outdoors with your enthusiasm for sharing knowledge! As an Environmental Education Docent, you will have the opportunity to inspire children of all ages through engaging, hands-on experiences in nature and help them become environmental stewards.

At this information session, we will talk about helping in our educational programs that empower local students and community members to explore the beauty of the San Diego River. You will work alongside dedicated individuals who share your passion for the outdoors and contribute to meaningful community science efforts.

Imagine guiding a group of students as they discover the fascinating wildlife of the river, observe invertebrates up close, or learn how to identify various bird species. Your passion for nature can ignite curiosity and wonder in young minds, fostering a lifelong appreciation for the environment.

Whether you are a seasoned nature lover or just beginning your journey, there is a place for you in our volunteer community. Join us in making a positive impact, and together, we can nurture a deeper connection between people and the natural world around us. Let’s inspire the next generation to love and protect the San Diego River!

If your passions include:- Exploring the beauty of nature and enjoy spending your days outdoors- Sharing fascinating facts that spark curiosity and wonder- Being a dependable mentor who values punctuality and strong communication- Making learning an enjoyable adventure
Then you would make a great Environmental Education Docent!

Light snacks and beverages will be provided for event attendees, thanks to our community supporters!

Join the One-Mile Action Crew (O-MAC), a passionate community dedicated to the hands-on stewardship of the SD River Trail by tackling focused improvements one mile at a time. Our core activities include the Roll & Record—where we ride (all wheels welcome: bikes, wheelchair, skateboards, skates, blades...) to survey and gather critical data along the San Diego River Trail & Bikeway—and the immediate cleanup and trail maintenance needed in that specific segment. Come make new friends, combine light exercise with impactful social good, and finish your rewarding community effort with a celebratory coffee social.

Start Location:

OB Walk Bike Trail (4573 Gesner St, San Diego, CA 92117)

Date:

Friday, Dec. 19th (9-10am)

We will begin at OB Walk Bike Trail in Ocean Beach at the Robb Field parking lots along the San Diego River Trail & Bikeway, with an introduction and brief training on safe riding and recording data. Then we will take an enjoyable group ride approximately 1-mile and back (2-miles round trip), collecting data and recording observations along the river trail. 

Followed by coffee Social at OB Coffee Cycle Roasting!

NOTE: This scenic segment follows the river through the beautiful estuary and also road underpasses. While you will observe diverse wildlife and critical bird habitat, expect to encounter urban interfaces where the trail passes beneath busy roadways, highlighting the importance of our stewardship in these transitional zones.

If you are skating, this is an EASY to INTERMEDIATE path and we highly advise you to bring gummy/soft wheels and knee pads/wrist guards at minimum. Come skate with us if you like an adventure!

All Wheels Welcome.

Note: if you are unable to join Dec. 19th, but interested in future events please take this brief One-Mile Action Club interest survey. 

DONATE: Care Kits

The San Diego River Park Foundation partners with service providers to help use our knowledge of and access to the San Diego Riverbed and some tributary canyons to connect people experiencing homelessness with access to resources and pathways out of riverbed encampments. 

Our River Assessment Field Team members distribute Care Kits to our neighbors experiencing homelessness and use them as an engagement tool to build relationships. We also distribute these items during the rainy season, when our team goes out to inform people living in the riverbed during storms to notify them of hazards and potential flooding. 

Our Care Kit inventory is purely donation based, so every little bit helps! 

Please visit our Amazon Wishlist here to donate items:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/NXBEI7EV559A/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

Additional NotesDonation Drop Off: Please contact die@sandiegoriver.org or call (619) 297-7380 to schedule a drop off. Donation drop off is at: 4891 Pacific Highway,  Suite 114 , San Diego, CA 92110

Flyer Flyers

Want to help outreach and work on your own time? Help us spread our flyers around town! 

The majority of this work will take place in Mission Valley, putting up flyers at outdoor kiosks and local businesses. This is perfect for someone who wants to make an impact with a flexible schedule.

Flyer drop off locations are typically pre-determined, but let us know if you think we should flyer at a place you don't already see on the list! NOTE: Flyer drop off locations will be sent to you AFTER meeting in person or virtually on Calendly.

--->To get set up flyering with us, click here to make an appointment with Die Spittle, Manager of Volunteer Programs.After that, this event will be used to track your hours (we will give you a tutorial on how to do this).

About the San Diego River Park Foundation:

Founded in 2001, we are a nonprofit, environmental organization dedicated to the restoration of the San Diego River and creation of the San Diego River Park System. More info at www.sandiegoriver.org.