With summer weather approaching, resident and non-resident volunteers pitched in on Saturday, May 6, to tidy up the parks of Homewood and Flossmoor for the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District’s annual Park Pride Day.
The volunteers spruced up numerous parks, including Ballantrae Park, Leavitt Park, Richard D. Irwin Park, Dolphin Lake Park, Goldberg Park and Millennium Park.
“This is our community, and it’s beautiful seeing new and familiar faces/members giving their Saturday back to their community,” said James Jones, Ballantrae Home Owner Associates administrator.
“Cleaning up your neighborhood can have a powerful impact on the community and the environment; it’s why so many young members are here today,” added Jones who was helping clean Ballantrae Park.
Homewood-Flossmoor’s Viking baseball team helped show support for Park Pride Day at Leavitt Park. H-F sophomore Cameron Williams and freshman teammate Cormac Saunders wheeled soil and mulch on-site with Coach Carlo Gozzi.
“This is our home; we love our home, so it was an easy way for us to spend a Saturday,” said Williams.
Volunteers from Girl Scout Troop 65152 focused their efforts at Goldberg Park Playground, where the troop members planted beautiful flowers and restored over-weeded areas.
“This is our sixth year participating in Park Pride. Our juniors and cadets look forward to getting outside and planting,” Troop co-leader Amy Stevenson said. “Community life is important, and Park Pride is an excellent opportunity for our kids, churches, and other organizations to give back and get involved within their community.”
All volunteers received a T-shirt and were provided lunch at Irwin Park.
Visit the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District site for volunteering opportunities and upcoming events.