Earth Day projects spruce up Northside neighborhood with help from KPEP

Earth Day provided an opportunity for volunteers from KPEP and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officers to work together on cleanup and construction projects in the Northside neighborhood.

The two cooperated on cleaning a greenhouse, assisting with concrete work, and helping to construct a Literacy Park for the Northside Association for Community Development.

A Literacy Park? The goal for the park is to provide visual learning opportunities for youngsters in the area--the NACD wants to take literacy outside. A six-week summer program will take place at the park this summer that will help kids with reading and other learning skills. The park will have an awning that contains visuals of the alphabet and multiplication tables.

NACD director Mattie Jordan-Woods envisioned the park as a year round venue where people of all ages can be educated in gardening, reading, and where children can complete hands-on multiplication tables.

A six-week summer program will take place at the park this summer that will help kids with reading and other learning skills.

The Earth Day event marked the first day in the cleanup and construction of the park. The second phase of the cleanup and construction of the park will occur Saturday, May 31.

In a separate activity, KPEP volunteers worked with public safety officers to cleanup the blocks of Ada St. and Woodbury.

By volunteering event helps KPEP residents fulfill their community service requirement. Organizers say the event was more than a beautification of Northside Kalamazoo. It allowed KPEP volunteers to give back to the community, build relationships and interact with KDPS officers.

Source: Truscott Rossman

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Earth Day projects spruce up Northside neighborhood with help from KPEP

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