Friends and Families for Virginia Park

KaBoom Va Park Pictures

2009-08-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the link to KaBoom's pictures from the Virginia Park Build Day.

http://blog.kaboom.org/gallery/214

Errol's collage

2009-05-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

Link to TV Spots

2009-05-22T06:17:00.001-07:00

http://media.vmsnews.com/MonitoringReports/051709/2391875/K001875052/

Ch 4 and Ch 5 from St. Louis

Newspaper article

2009-05-21T05:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to an article in the News Democrat.

http://www.bnd.com/yourlife/story/768099.html

Ribbon Cutting

2009-05-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

All In A Day!

2009-05-20T08:37:00.001-07:00

Some of the Many Folks That Made It Happen

2009-05-20T08:23:00.000-07:00

Fun Stuff

2009-05-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

Many Jobs to Do

2009-05-20T08:03:00.001-07:00

Let the Work Begin

2009-05-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

Build Captains

2009-05-20T07:54:00.000-07:00

Build Day Begins

2009-05-20T07:50:00.001-07:00

Va Park Prep Days

2009-05-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

Going - Going -Gone.

2009-05-20T07:37:00.001-07:00

You really had to be there to appreciate this. If I understood correctly, 185 cubic yards of mulch were carried to the playground site by hand.

Logo for FF for VP

2009-04-13T06:37:00.000-07:00

This is the new logo for the Friends and Families for Virginia Park.

Thanks Joseph for all the hard work.

Build Day t-shirt design

2009-04-13T06:32:00.001-07:00

This student artwork will be on the back of our Build Day t-shirts. A special thanks goes out to Snapple/Dr. Pepper for this very generous contribution.

ESL Monitor Article

2009-04-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

Wonderful front-page article about Design Day for Virginia Park in the ESL Monitor newspaper. Dr. Lawson from the Landscape Architecture Department at the U of I is shown working with the kids on their design ideas.

U of I Students Present Va. Park Plans

2009-04-06T07:31:00.000-07:00

Great Weekend in Virginia Park

2009-04-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

We got so much done in Virginia Park this weekend and had a great time as well. We had a cook-out on Saturday, got the entire Bond Ave. fence painted as well as half the backstop, powerwashed and started painting the picnic table, planted flowers, varnished the wooden park signs and removed garffiti from playground equipment.

KaBoom Poster

2009-03-27T06:17:00.000-07:00

More Design Day pictures

2009-03-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

2009-03-18T13:43:00.000-07:00

DRAFT
3/19/09

Expect changes

KaBOOM! PLANNING COMMITTEES:
CO-CHAIRS
PROJECT COMMITTEE
Irma Golliday (618) 874-3600-Of, cell 960-1131
Errol Allen (618) 977-8653
RECRUITMENT AND REGISTRATION
Billlie Turner (618) 397-4973-Of, cell 979-2353
Carolyn Edley (618) 567-9670-cell
YOUTH INVOLVEMENT
Tracy (Tra-Lay) Runnels (618) 979-1920-cell
Avis (Lynn) Thomas
RESOURCES AND FUNDRAISING
Gloria Wicks (618) 806-5832-cell
CONSTRUCTION
Eddie Golliday (618) 593-8630-cell
Princeton Clark (618) 830-0853-cell
FOOD TEAM
Carlos Wicks (618) 806-5831 - cell
Irma Golliday (618) 874-3600-Of, cell 960-1131
LOGISTICS
David Manning (618) 698-4887 – cell
Eddie Golliday (618) 593-8630 – cell
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Irma Golliday (618) 874-3600-Of, cell 960-1131
Bruce Wicks (217) 333-6160-Of, cell (217) 493-6012 bew@illinois.edu
SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE
Chief Marvin Strode (618) 960-1953 - cell
Errol Allen (618) 977-8653 - cell

KaBoom! Design Day

2009-03-14T16:05:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the KaBoom Design Day. Getting the kids from the Alta Sita school involved was really special. As you can see that drew a lot of things that they wanted for their new playground.

Fundraiser for Virginia Park

2009-03-10T05:57:00.000-07:00

The Park District's new foundation held its first fundraiser in support of Virginia Park at Applebees and it was a big success. Picture 1 is Irma Golliday Park District Executive Director and two hungry supporters, #2 are Park District employees and Board members and #3 are the many volunteers who helped out. Thanks ya'all.

FF forVP Meeting Picture

2009-03-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

U of I L.A. Students Meeting with FFfor VP

2009-03-01T11:41:00.000-08:00

Landscape Architecture students from the U of I under the direction of Dr. Laura Lawson met with Irma Golliday, Executive Director of the ESL Park District (2/27) and the following day with members of FFforVP and concerned residents to help in developing their plans for Virginia Park. Once again our Saturday meeting was held in Straightway Baptist Church and we sincerely thank Rev. Tracy for making that possible.

Va. Park Survey Results

2009-03-01T11:37:00.000-08:00

Results of Questionnaire/ Summary

The landscape architecture students from the University of Illinois are working to develop a design for Virginia Park in the East St. Louis that would respond to residents need. A preliminary part of their research was to survey neighborhood residents to get ideas that would help to develop designs that most fit their needs and desires. A brief summary of the results follow.

· A majority of respondents visit Virginia Park either weekly or occasionally, but they do not visit the park every day. They use the park for recreation purposes and those with kids take their children to play on the playground equipment. Some residents also like to use the park for a cookout or other family parties and special events.

· Desired elements envisioned by residents for the future of Virginia Park are as follows: playground equipment for youth, fun festivals and other events, sports, community gardening, walking paths for seniors, cooking equipment/bathrooms with clean running water, picnic tables, more family activities and increased security.

· Many residents do not use Virginia Park because they do not think there are many things to do: they see no walking or exercise trails and expect major updating of equipment. On the one hand residents raise issues of safety and indicate possible presence of drug dealers or even unattractive location of Virginia Park as its main disadvantages. On the other hand, location and short distance to the park became it’s the most important positive characteristics.

Va. Park Cookout. Oct. 2008

2009-02-21T11:17:00.000-08:00

In October, 2008 the Park District, Virginia Park residents and ESLARP joined together to hold an event to bring people out and enjoy the park. Food is always an important element and we generated a good crowd. This event brought everyone together and helped to get the new neighborhood organization started.

Blessed With a KaBoom Grant

2009-02-18T17:53:00.000-08:00

After almost two years of work the folks at KaBoom have helped us secure a corporate sponsor (Snapple) for a new playground in Virginia Park. This is a blessing for the park district and residents of the Alta Sita neighborhood and represents a great start for our new organization, Friends and Families for Virginia Park. There is so much to write but most importantly is that we will build the playground May 15th. I just can't wait but I also know how much work we need to do between now and then. Please check out the KaBoom homepage.

http://kaboom.org/tabid/57/default.aspx

Bruce