Children and Teens Transform Chuck Pezoldt Park on Global Youth Service Day
Earth Day won't be the only opportunity to go green this month. Children and teens will take part in greening Chuck Pezoldt Park as part of Global Youth Service Day on Saturday, April 27, 2013, from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Chuck Pezoldt Park is located at 16555 SW 157 Avenue, in Miami. The annual volunteer and service event focuses on youth involvement in the community and Parks will once again host a project for environmentally inclined children and teens. The project is open to the public and is anticipated to bring 200 to 300 volunteers to help out at the community park.
The day will consist of planting native and flowering trees along the wall of the park. Recently, graffiti had been a problem along the wall; this project's goal is to prevent further defacements. Graffiti awareness and prevention, as well as the importance of service will be a focal point throughout the day. A special closing ceremony at noon with Miami-Dade County District 9 Commissioner Dennis C. Moss will focus on the values of the project and the organizations involved.
Chuck Pezoldt Park is considered a neighborhood gem and there has been a lot of excitement over the 40-acre park's recently proposed developments. In progress at the park is the installation of solar lighting along the walkways. Planned development in the coming years includes a restroom building, improved play areas, parking improvements, water fountains, picnic tables and landscaping. The volunteer project will serve as a kick-off to the revamp, giving local families a chance to participate in their park's development.
But it won't be a day of all work and no play. The Parks department's P.R.I.D.E team will lead the volunteers in the widely popular "Harlem Shake" which will be recorded and posted on YouTube. The video will highlight the enhancements made to the park, showing that volunteering not only makes a difference but can be fun.
The Global Youth Service Day project is coordinated and hosted by The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade, the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department including the P.R.I.D.E. team, AARP, Miami Dade College's Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy, Service For Peace, and Coach Across America.
"Global Youth Service Day is one of the most important projects for our department in the long-term. Initiating a tradition of enthusiasm and involvement at an early age is essential to the sustainability of our Parks," said Jack Kardys, Director of Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation Department.
"Our institution looks forward to this great civic engagement opportunity where millions of youth around the world will join together and in solidarity to make a positive difference and take a role in civic participation," said Harold Silva, Director of Miami Dade College's Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy, North/Hialeah Campus.
To register, please visit www.iaminvolved.org. Individuals, businesses and organizations interested in sponsoring this or for future volunteer projects at parks across the county, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Angie Gomez at 305-961-2781 or e-mail at [email protected].
About AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 34.5 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 40 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
About Service For Peace, Miami Office
Service For Peace - Miami Office is a nonprofit organization that engages Miami's diverse population in service-learning opportunities by connecting people to peace through service and creating Communities of Peace throughout our Greater Miami community.
About Miami Dade College's Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy
Miami Dade College's Center for Community Involvement is becoming the Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy as its mission is Transforming learning, strengthening democracy and contributing meaningfully to the common good by awakening and empowering students for lifelong civic engagement.
About Coach Across America
Coach Across America® (CAA) is a program launched by Up2Us to provide its member organizations with the support needed to train and host highly effective coaches in sports and youth development. CAA's mission is to lead the United States in training and supporting expert SBYD coaches in the nation's most under-resourced communities to promote health and nutrition, educational success, civic engagement, and positive personal and social development among youth.
About the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department
Nationally accredited, a three-time winner of the NRPA National Gold Medal Award and winner of the 2009 Florida Governor's Sterling Award for excellence in management and operations, Miami-Dade County Parks is the third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of 260 parks and 12,825 acres of land. It is one of the most unique park and recreation systems in the world. Made up of more than just playgrounds and athletic fields, it also comprises out-of-school, sports-development, and summer-camp programs; programs for seniors and people with disabilities; educational nature centers and nature preserves; environmental restoration efforts; arts and culture programs and events; the renowned Zoo Miami and the Deering Estate at Cutler; the Crandon Tennis Center, home of the Sony Open; golf courses; beaches; marinas; campgrounds; pools; and more. For information about Miami-Dade County Parks call 3-1-1, or visit www.miamidade.gov/parks/.
About The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade
The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that supports the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department's effort to further develop Miami-Dade County's world-class parks system for residents and visitors. Its mission is to create a healthier, more livable and sustainable Miami community by ensuring the implementation of the Parks Open Space Master Plan and the development of year-round park and recreation programs for children, adults and people with disabilities. For more information on the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade, please visit www.parksfoundationofmiami-dade.com.