BBQ & Beautify: Friends of Grand Rapids Parks launches new series

What better way to meet new friends, break down those old paths in our contact book, and help our city parks than visiting Friends of Grand Rapids Parks’ (FGRP) newest summer community engagement program, BBQ & Beautify.  

The event kicks off at 5 p.m. at Garfield Park with volunteers conducting a park project together for the first 90 minutes, followed by a community dinner commencing immediately after. 

No worries if you are not sure how to perform garden work, as volunteers from the FGRP will be on hand to instruct neighbors how to conduct these simple tasks that create lasting impact for good in our city.

FGRP will also bring along yard games and other park activities, including a few free, park-themed giveaways.

“This series may sound simple but the concept is one that highlights the importance of place,” says FGRP Executive Director Tracey Flower, who shares that this program is aimed at those who live near the parks they are visiting this summer. “Cities grow when programs come to the people and engage in on-site listening and working together, and we are so excited to bring our tools, our ideas, and our turkey burgers, to our city’s parks this summer.”

No registration is necessary; however, those who are interested in learning more about the volunteer portion of the event (i.e. what to wear and/or bring or the scope of the project) can contact FGRP Project and Volunteer Coordinator Rachel Skylis at rachel@friendsofgrparks.org.

Additional dates and parks in the series include: Ken-O-Sha Park (June 28, 2016), Sigsbee Park (July 12, 2016), Richmond Park (July 26, 2016), Joe Taylor Park (August 16, 2016), and Martin Luther King, Jr. Park (September 8, 2016).

This series is supported in part by Kent County Health Connect and REACH (Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health) grant and through community partners Doorganics, Open Systems Technologies, and West Michigan Credit Union.