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Volunteers join forces to build a playground.
by Sydney Fong –
Volunteers celebrate the completion of the playground.
On April 25—“Build Day”—approximately 350 volunteers from CaliforniaVolunteers, The Salvation Army, organizers from KaBOOM! and community residents joined forces to construct a new, safe playground at The Salvation Army Sacramento Citadel Corps campus. In less than eight hours, the team of volunteers turned what was a bare corner lot into a new recreational area and vegetable garden for the children who use the Ray Robinson Oak Park Community Center.
“The amazing thing about this playground is that one day we have a vacant lot. The next day, 350 people from the community come together and at the end of the day, we have an amazing transformation into a fantastic recreation space,” said Major Tedd Lowcock, Jr., corps officer.
“The playground represents a positive change in this community,” said Major Douglas Riley, Del Oro divisional commander. “Parents know that their children are playing in a fun and safe environment.”
This was one of six projects sponsored by CaliforniaVolunteers to celebrate the legacy of Cesar Chavez. Since 2007, CaliforniaVolunteers has sponsored more than 20 play space builds.
“I can’t think of any greater way to celebrate the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez than by seeing the community come together and provide a play area to an organization as strong as The Salvation Army,” said Karen Baker, secretary of service and volunteering for the State of California.
The entire construction process was led by KaBOOM!, a national non-profit organization that has brought together business and community interests to construct more than 1,500 new play sites nationwide.
Build Day culminated with a ribbon cutting ceremony in front of the new playground. Baker, California State Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Mayor Kevin Johnson and Cesar Chavez’s grandson, Paul, were all on hand to celebrate the newest play area in the Oak Park community.