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Building Community Through Fun: Community Comes Together to Beautify Parkview Elementary School and Parkview Park
PRNS’ Volunteer Management Unit Paints, Sweeps, Weeds, and Rakes its Way to a Better Tomorrow
Early in the morning of August 24, the quiet hum of the Parkview neighborhood was joined by the chatter of volunteers, young and old. The yellow vests of over 200 volunteers shone brightly against the lush trees. The fresh smell of wood chips being spread around the park was unmistakable. As the sun shone brightly over Parkview Elementary School and Parkview Park, the volunteers got to work.
VMU volunteers came together and showed the power of community
With the help of community members just like you, PRNS can keep parks clean, healthy, beautiful, and ready for your next picnic or playdate.
All hands on deck! There’s no better phrase to describe the attitude that PRNS staff brought to the Breakfast and Cleanup Event. The Volunteer Managment Unit (VMU) is a key part of helping neighbors stay involved in their local parks. It wasn’t just VMU onsite that day though; BeautifySJ staff joined in to collaborate.
The Breakfast and Cleanup Event is a perfect example of the dedication PRNS staff and neighbors show every day.
“Projects like these are most successful when we have strong community involvement, and that’s exactly what we saw here today” says volunteer coordinator Loren Safdie, “VMU thrives on the connection it has with community members”
At the Breakfast and Cleanup event alone, volunteers tackling weeds and debris removed over 20 cubic yards of green waste! Volunteers also picked up 300 gallons of litter and applied 80 cubic yards of wood chips to playground areas.
All of that work meant volunteers worked up an appetite, and luckily the San José Police Department (SJPD) was there to help. Serving up delicious breakfast favorites, the SJPD provided pancakes, eggs, sausage, and coffee to the hundreds of hungry volunteers.
Breakfast wasn’t the only extra addition to a normal VMU day. Volunteers were joined by Mayor Matt Mahan, San José Police Captain Stephan Donohue, and members of the San José Fire Department (SJFD). SJFD wowed volunteers of all ages in attendance with a tour of their ladder truck!
The impact community members can make together is powerful! The spirit of community is what drives these programs.
Although the fire truck’s display was impressive, what was truly remarkable was the amount PRNS staff and volunteers were able to accomplish in one day. VMU regularly coordinates events like these which provide members of the community opportunities to engage in volunteer events at their local park or trail. You might recognize events like the Alum Rock Trail Crew and Monthly Japanese Friendship Garden Community Day, which are organized by VMU. On the other hand, BeautifySJ tackles issues such as illegal dumping, graffiti, and litter. Litter cleanups are one of the many ways BeautifySJ helps community members take pride in their neighborhoods. Together, we can keep community spaces looking beautiful.
If you feel inspired to help keep your local park clean, see sanjoseca.gov/prns-volunteer for opportunities to get involved in events like these. We look forward to seeing you at your local park or playground soon!
If you would like to learn more about PRNS, please visit sanjoseca.gov/prns. The ActivateSJ Strategic Plan is the City of San José's Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) plan to maintain, improve and expand our facilities, programs, and services. The plan guides how we care for and develop a diverse park system and an abundance of recreation programs and services for all in San José.
ActivateSJ’s mission is to connect people through parks, recreation, and neighborhood services for an active San José. To learn more about our department’s plan and vision to move forward, visit activatesj.org.