The Neighborhood Services Department sponsored the inaugural STAR Community Service Day Event on Saturday August 23rd. The event was a collaborative community building and improvement initiative done in partnership with approximately 120 volunteers and support from Lincoln’s Challenge, Champaign Public Works Department, University of Illinois Office of Volunteer Programs, Latter Day Saints, Champaign Unit 4 Schools, City of Champaign’s Neighborhood Services Advisory Board, Beardsley Park Neighborhood Association, Champaign Park District, Dobbins Down Improvement Association, JAL Properties, United Garden Hills Neighborhood Association, University of Illinois – Hip Hop Xpress, Champaign Community Coalition and Council Member Karen Foster. A brief recap of results from each project is as follows:
- Mable Thomas Memorial Park in Dobbins Downs – Park rehabilitation including new signage; replaced wooden fence; weed, mulch and replant planters; re-mulched playground; mowed and weeded lawn.
- Sherwood Court Neighborhood – Neighborhood cleanup with dumpster provided for residents to dispose of household items; litter abatement project along Bradley Avenue and railroad tracks.
- Mittendorf Drive – House painting project.
- Garwood/Beardsley-Champaign Street Blitz – One front yard landscaping project; neighborhood cleanup with dumpster provide for residents of 1100 and 1200 blocks of N Champaign to dispose of household items.
- Garden Hills Neighborhood Blitz – Three projects completed:
- Garden Hills Elementary School – Front school entrance planting areas weeded and topped with wood chips.
- Door Hanger Distribution – Distributed resource materials on Neighborhood Code Compliance, Neighborhood Housing Programs, and the United Garden Hills Neighborhood Association.
- Hedge Road – Two rental properties received some landscape improvement through a “curb appeal” initiative.
Unit 4 Superintendent Judy Wiegand, Garden Hills Principal Cheryl Camacho and Assistant Principal Delores Lloyd helping at Garden Hills Elementary School
Volunteers work at Garden Hills Elementary School to improve the appearance of the front entrance
University of Illinois students through the Office of Volunteer Programs help to distribute door hangers throughout the neighborhood
Neighborhood Services Advisory Board Chair Donte Lotts helping at Garden Hills Elementary School
Beardsley Park Neighborhood Clean Up
Neighborhood Services Director Kevin Jackson helping out at Mable Thomas Memorial Park
Neighborhood Services Advisory Board Member Brent West helping at Mable Thomas Memorial Park
City of Champaign Council Member Karen Foster helping out on Mittendorf Drive
Mittendorf Drive House – Before
Mittendorf Drive House – After
Front of Garden Hills – Before
Front of Garden Hills – After
Mable Thomas Memorial Park Sign – Before
Mable Thomas Memorial Park Sign – After
Landscaping on Hedge Road
Landscaping on Hedge Road
Mable Thomas Memorial Park Fence – Before
Mable Thomas Memorial Park Fence – After
Mable Thomas Memorial Park – Before
Mable Thomas Memorial Park – After