Civil War Preservation Trust

PERRYVILLE - Seven generations after the beginning of the Civil War, another wave of volunteers is about to descend on America's storied battlegrounds. Local men and women can join this year's array of dedicated soldiers in preserving Perryville Battlefield this weekend. Park Day cleanup and preservation efforts at Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site will begin 9 a.m. Saturday. Sponsored by the Civil War Preservation Trust, the History Channel, the U.S. Department of Interior and the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association, the Park Day event will be one of the greatest gatherings of history buffs and preservationists committed to preserving Kentucky's largest and most significant battlefield.

PERRYVILLE - Seven generations after the beginning of the Civil War, another wave of volunteers is about to descend on America's storied battlegrounds. This year's array of dedicated men and women, however, will be armed with paint brushes, trash bags and weed whackers. History buffs and preservationists from around the country will team up April 1 with the Civil War Preservation Trust to help clean and restore America's battlefields, cemeteries and shrines. The nationwide effort - dubbed Park Day - is underwritten with a grant from the History Channel.

PERRYVILLE - A former National Park Service employee, who worked at Civil War battlefields in Virginia and New York, has been named executive director for the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association. Chris Kolakowski assumed his position in November with the non-profit organization charged with preserving and interpreting Kentucky's largest Civil War battleground. He replaces Stuart Sanders, who took a position at the Kentucky History Center in Frankfort. With his background in preservation and tourism, Kolakowski will handle registration for the national Civil War re-enactment scheduled in October.