Groups join to throw parties in parks
Published 9:30 am Friday, July 17, 2009
Out of a desire to help people in the community get to know their neighbors, multiple organizations in Freeborn County have come together to organize a series of neighborhood park parties throughout the county.
The first park party was at Rainbow Terrace trailer park last Sunday, and four more parties are planned at different locations this Sunday. Others will follow during the next few weeks.
Freeborn County Partners and Prevention Director Alice Englin, who is also the facilitator for the Family Services Collaborative, said the organizations involved hope to get people back to the basics — where they know those they live near and feel a part of the community.
“Through all of these organizations, there was really a commonality that neighborhood parties and getting to know your neighbors fulfilled a lot of the things we were trying to do,” Englin said.
The involved organizations are Operation Respect, Freeborn County Partners In Prevention, the THRIVE Initiative, AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project, ShineFest, Albert Lea Parks and Recreation, Albert Lea Family Y, Albert Lea Police Department and Freeborn County United Way.
Representatives from each group worked closely with the Police Department to plan the parties. During the last year, the police have also organized several community policing meetings with a similar goal.
The representatives separated the community by parks, and for the outlying towns around Albert Lea there will be one party in most towns, Englin said.
Then, the group started getting coordinators and asked the Vitality Project ambassadors if they wanted to get involved, she said, noting that having community connections and a sense of belonging is a big part of Blue Zones around the world.
The group came up with 30 parks they tried to get filled, but ended up getting 15 coordinated, Englin said. She said she hopes the group will be able to turn the parties into annual events and have even more next year.
“We would just encourage people to come,” Englin said. “The goal of the parties is to get to know your neighbors, that’s really the purpose of the whole initiative.”
At the same time, it will create a support system for community members and reduce alcohol, tobacco and drug use, she said.
The upcoming parks parties are as follows:
Alden North Park, Sunday, 1 to 3 p.m.
Central Park, Sunday, noon to 2 p.m.
City Beach Park, Sunday, 12:30 p.m.
Clarks Grove Johnson Park, July 26, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Eastgate Park: July 21, 6 to 8 p.m.
Glenville softball field: July 27, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Hayward City Park: Sunday, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Memorial Park, July 25, 6 to 9 p.m.
Park Avenue Park, July 26, 5:30 p.m.
Shorewood Hills, July 29, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Sondergaard Park, July 22, 5 to 8 p.m.
Southwest Park, July 23, 6 to 9 p.m.
Troy-Hammer Park, Aug. 3, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Valley Park, July 22, 6 to 9 p.m.