On Saturday, May 7, 2016, approximately 40 City of Champaign employees and their families participated in a Day of Service, volunteering their time to clean up Mable Thomas Park in northern Champaign. The event was organized by the City’s Neighborhood Services Department as a way for City staff to give back to the community, and to celebrate the conclusion of National Public Service Recognition Week. The park is named after the late Mable Thomas, the City of Champaign’s longtime Neighborhood Coordinator.
“The park was in a deteriorated condition and needed to be spruced up,” reports Neighborhood Coordinator John Ruffin. “Because the park is named in honor of a former employee, City staff really rallied behind the idea of volunteering their time to clean it up.”
City volunteers spent the morning picking up trash, removing graffiti, spreading mulch, and planting a tree in Mable Thomas’ honor. The Dobbins Downs Community and neighbors adjacent to the park expressed their appreciation for the park cleanup and improvements.
