IMPORTANT NOTE: There are several needs which need to be filled in advance of the service day. All needs below are delineated in bold type. Please review them and see how you can help.
Thanks to the efforts of the Director of Concord Stake Public Affairs, Wes Brinkman, the members of the Concord Stake have the opportunity to serve in their choice of three service projects for the community of "Parchester Village" located in the city of Richmond.
Project No. 1—Sign Project
This project will involve improving the existing sign at the entrance of the community. The sign currently displays the name “Parchester Village”. Our improvement project will add the words “Welcomes You”. Additionally, the Parchester Residential Committee has also asked if another modest sign could be made and placed at a community garden and park which you can read about under the "Project No. 3" commentary below.
**Concord Stake Public Affairs needs someone
to step forward and lead the sign project
by assembling a team of people
and determining the most effective way
to accomplish the task
including preparation, time and materials.**
Project No. 2—Neighborhood Cleanup (map below)
Parchester Village is comprised of approximately 400 homes. In advance of the service day, the Boy Scout troops from the Concord Stake will be distributing a flyer informing residents of the neighborhood clean-up coming on April 26th. The flyer will instruct residents that items to be disposed of are to be set at the curb. On the day of service, our volunteers will transport those items to five strategically-placed dumpsters being provided by the City of Richmond. Additionally, each team of volunteers (see below) will take a section of the neighborhood and help those who have physical limitations (e.g., the elderly and/or handicapped) to dispose of their items. The City of Richmond and the Sanitary District will be on hand to assist our efforts and to take care of heavy items which are beyond our capacity to safely remove as well as help with the disposal of things we are not responsible for such as e-waste items, etc.
**Concord Stake Public Affairs needs
enough volunteers to form
at least 13 teams of 4 or more people.**
Project No. 3—Parchester Community Garden and Park (map below)
A park called “The Parchester Community Healing Garden” was started as a labor of love by the chairwoman of the Parchester Community Committee, Paula Gray (a real "go getter" with a lot of faith). It all started when Paula petitioned the city to clean up an empty lot where a home once stood that had subsequently become a dumping ground for junk and trash. The City of Richmond helped Paula and her committee to clean the place up. Through their efforts a fence and gate were built, a few plants were planted and the dumping stopped. Paula’s vision for "The Parchester Community Healing Garden" is to see families in the community come together and create friendships and promote a sense of community.
Our volunteers will help Paula divide some of the land into plots which can be adopted by residents of Parchester Village for the purpose of raising fruits and vegetables. Other portions of the lot are to be devoted to a sitting area with benches, a picnic table and, perhaps, a barbeque. Adjacent to the sitting area, Paula would like to install a tether ball pole for kids to play with. Additionally, the lot has a fence with 5 posts that need replacing, a small cinder block wall with holes in it that need to be patched, other fences that need to be painted and a pathway created so handicapped residents can access the sitting area.
Tasks for this project need individuals with the following skills:
- basic carpentry
- basic painting
- landscaping and/or gardening
- lifting and digging
- fencing
- 1-2 decent benches (like a park bench)
- a picnic table
- a barbeque on a post (like the ones in a typical park)
- a tether ball pole to be mounted in a tire filled with cement
**We also need an EMT or Nurse
to be on-hand for all the projects listed above**
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| Map of Parchester Village Community Healing Garden Project (click to view larger) |
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| Map of Parchester Village Community Clean-up Project Team Assignments (click to view larger) |
Please call or email Wes Brinkman at 925.370.2400 or wesley.brinkman.pa@gmail.com to volunteer for any of the key roles listed above or for donating items needed.
