Yankton, SD community celebrates National Park Service with awareness walk

YANKTON, S.D. (KTIV) - Members of the Yankton community gathered along the Missouri River to recognize the National Park Service amid recent challenges.

A colorful array of birds, fish and butterflies could be seen in the hands of supporters as they walked a half-mile along the river, starting at the Meridian Bridge and ending at the Missouri National Recreational River National Park Service Office.

Event Coordinator Linda Grace Freeman told KTIV 4 that these events are important because the park service has a huge impact on the community.

“We just wanna support the national parks because there’s been a lot of cuts,” said Freeman. “Especially with this one is on the cutting board, you’ll see the building where they’re housed was a building specifically built for them. Yankton wants them here as the gateway for this national park.”

Freeman added that among the everyday changes, it feels good to have so many people come out to celebrate national parks and what it is to be an American.

“You know, you sit home all alone especially since this administration has started and you get all these cuts every day and changes, it’s overwhelming and confusing and this is just one way to come together and just celebrate what it is to be American and national parks is one of those historical American things that we all value.”

For more information about the Missouri National Recreational River National Park Service visit https://www.nps.gov/mnrr/.

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