Washington Park

Thursday, September 23rd, the four of us, Callie-Beth, Cheyenne, Eric, and myself, changed it up a bit, and headed out to Washington Park, rather than the usual Riverside Park.  We piled into Eric's car and made our way out there.  The overall experience and location was much different than it had been at Riverside.


The drive alone was much different than anything I was ever accustomed to, and it was a big eye opener for me. The neighborhood we drove through was somewhat of a rough neighborhood, and I would not have felt comftorable volunteering on my own there.  We took a couple wrong turns, but ended up finding our way safe and sound.
Even in a poverished area, the Urban Ecology Center still found the means to create a beautiful park for anyone to enjoy.  We were welcomed by the same friendly people as were at Riverside Park.  There was a beautiful pond with willow trees overlooking it, and people all over playing soccer, frisbee, or taking casual walks on the paths.  As they put us to work, I realized that we also weren't the only people volunteering.


Our job that day was weeding out flower beds that had become overgrown with non native plants and weeds.  We got on our hands and knees, using shovels to dig out the unwanted plants.  Just like prior volunteering days, the work really wasn't all too difficult.  We asked Joel several questions, and he helped us to get a better understanding of what the park was like.

Overall, this experience at Washington Park hit me the hardest.  I realized that even in the worst of areas, being environmentally friendly is important and possible.  Just outside of the park was vacant buildings, yet there was an amazing place that anyone could enjoy right in the middle of it.  This volunteering day opened up my eyes, also making me want the best for others who are less fortunate, as we all try to better ourselves.


-Posted and Written by: Melissa Luke