Community Building (and digging, and raking, and hauling, and ...)

I just got back from an hour and a half of volunteer work at Chester Bowl.  The number of people who came out to help repair the park was phenomenal.  According to an article in the Duluth News Tribune on June 26, more than 400 people came out.  I overheard someone say that Chester Bowl Director Thom Storm had expected only 25-60 people.  It was heartening to see so many families, but truly it was a cross-section of the entire population of the city.  For the most part, I was shoulder-to-shoulder with people I've never met before this evening.  The spirit of the event was so calm, so focused and so purposeful.  It made me incredibly proud to be a citizen of this great city.

Chester Bowl is a wonderful park.  Our kids have run there, skied there, hiked there and hung out there.  Our family and our Temple Israel community have held annual picnics there. It's where we hold our annual Tashlich service.  It's a lovely site and, unfortunately, it was not spared by the flood:
 
http://www.chesterbowl.org/uncategorized/flood-photos/


The call went out Saturday night to people who had signed up on the United Way site to volunteer.  If you would like to participate in upcoming volunteer opportunities, go to this site:

http://volunteer.truist.com/hgdvc/survey/?survey_id=10530197798 
 

There were a number of options for people to select, but this was the one that fit me best.  I would have liked to work at Hartley on Sunday, but I was out of town during the time of the scheduled work session.  I know  there will be more opportunities to lend a hand, and indeed there's an opportunity at Chester Bowl next Monday--same time, same location..  There is so much left to do throughout this city I am sure there will be a tremendous number of activities for weeks to come.

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/home/Sweat-Relief-Efforts-at-Chester-Bowl-160332265.html?vid=a

Ninety minutes of assistance isn't sufficient given the devastating level of damage, but it's something.  I look forward to hoisting my shovel and rake again next week.

Stay tuned....