Corporations, other volunteers provide tremendous resources, expertise.
In 2007, volunteers from corporations, schools and other organizations made a huge impact on the aesthetics, infrastructure and ecosystems of Fair Park.
According to Mark Jarrell, Senior Manager, Fair Park, “Not only did these efforts provide the extra labor and funding to accomplish tasks in less time than our in-house manpower with greater results, but it also gave participants a sense of pride and ownership in Fair Park.”
A lagoon made livable.
Over 4,300 hours—valued at roughly $70,950—were donated by the Koi and Water Garden Club of North Texas, to clean out and preserve aquatic and plant life in the Leonhardt Lagoon. “For twelve straight weekends last spring, volunteers removed invasive and undesirable plants before planting new ones,” states Donny Shubert, Operations Manager for Fair Park. “They conducted water depth surveys, added chemicals to improve water quality, installed aeration systems and conducted water, chemical and oxygen analysis.”
On May 12, more than 30 students from McCoy Elementary school in the Carrollton/Farmers Branch ISD joined the Koi group and helped with the project. The children eagerly picked up trash, transported new plants for planting, pulled weeds and raked out areas besieged by algae. “We are very grateful for such remarkable efforts by these groups, says Mr. Shubert. “The expertise brought to the table by volunteers was also invaluable.”
Brushing up on service.
SABRE Holdings kicked off the company’s Global Volunteer Week with an August 23 Work Day. Hosted by SABRE CEO Sam Gilliland, the event saw over 100 employees perform enhancements like these
- Women's Museum - painted a Clifford the Big Red Dog House
reading backdrop. - Coliseum building - painted handrails for a 7,000 seat arena
built in 1957. - Museum of Nature and Science - built shelving and disposed of unwanted items to organize exhibit storage area; inventoried items from museum school closet and transferred to new containers.
- African American Museum - painted Education Plaza and pressure washed windows inside and outside
Says Barbra Anderson, Director Social Responsibility for SABRE Holdings, “Our employees received such a feeling of accomplishment that they have continued to serve Fair Park. “ In September, SABRE volunteers painted the entryway, theater and offices of the Magnolia Lounge, as well as weeding and clearing throughout Texas Discovery Gardens and its Grand Hall.
CITI®-wide mobilization.
CITI® (Formerly CITIGroup) will hold CITI® Volunteer Day on November 17 with Dallas Park and Recreation. Like SABRE, all employees over the world do simultaneous work projects on the same day. Fifty-four trees will be planted in Fair Park. Over 1,000 total trees will be planted that day across many other Dallas parks. In preparation for December’s Fair Park in Lights (CITI® is a presenting sponsor of the event), employees will string up lights, wrap giant boxes for outdoor displays, fill over 1,000 luminaria bags with sand, paint and weed flowerbeds. Over 1,000 CITI® employee volunteers from the entire area will congregate for a large-scale lunch on the Cotton Bowl playing field, while the giant video screen shows pictures of volunteers in action. Fair Park will be offering CITI® employees free admission to all museums.
If your organization can volunteer employees to keep Fair Park looking its best, contact Mark Jarrell at 214-670-8536. It’s a win-win situation.
Fair Park volunteers contributed supplies and approximately 7,700 volunteer hours this year valued at over $147,000. “We truly appreciate all of our volunteers,” affirms Mark Jarrell. “Fair Park would not be the beautiful oasis it is today without their continued support.”