The Hands Across the City initiative of United Methodist Metropolitan Ministry in Grand Rapids could already be considered a major success — even though it doesn’t take place until Aug. 7.
Through major advertising and promotional help from United Methodist Communications and some crucial networking with the city of Grand Rapids, Hands Across the City is expected to draw up to 1,000 volunteers to work at 15 city parks and public spaces.
What started off as an ever-evolving project to beautify and re-purpose over a dozen areas, now has the major centerpiece of building a KaBOOM! playground in Garfield Park estimated at roughly $70,000.
In a city that has seen the number of employees in its parks and recreation department go from 71 to 16 over the course of several years, this is a much-needed undertaking.
While Metro Ministry raised approximately $10,000 for the service project, Hands Across the City co-chair Kurt Kimball — formerly the Grand Rapids city manager for 23 years and a devout United Methodist — said his relationship with city and their willingness to help was a Godsend.
KaBOOM! is “a national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America's children,” utilizing community leadership and corporate sponsors that are willing to provide $50,000-$70,000 to fund playground projects.
Kimball said the prospect of finding a corporate sponsor or raising that kind of money seemed out of the question, but the city provided them with a different avenue to explore.
“Perhaps because of my association with the city we got the managing director who was in charge of community development block grants to amend a plan that they had for using block grants, so really the corporate sponsor in this case, the one providing the $69,300 is in fact the federal government’s community development block grants,” he said. “That’s atypical. There are four or five other kaBOOM! playgrounds in Grand Rapids and they have sponsors like Steelcase or whatnot.”
Kimball said while the partnership was surprising, it was really just the latest reminder that faith is much bigger than people often realize.
“I’ve been dabbling in various fundraising things, but this is something that I felt, or rather my wife felt, a little bit of a calling on my behalf,” he joked. “But the more I started thinking about it the more I comprehended it might just be the perfect fit for me and in fact God wanted me to do so. There was no turning back.”
Now the event has become more of an all-encompassing experience for Metro Ministry, and potential participants from all over the city.
More than 250 people will help build a fully functional kaBOOM! playground in six hours or less, and 14 other projects will utilize smaller groups. There will be lunch provided for all of the participants and the day will conclude with a “celebration under the big tent” which includes a worship service, recap of the day’s events and a Christian rock concert for all involved.
Kimball said the project is connected with Rethink Church, and is a chance to expand Methodists faith beyond the brick and mortar of their church buildings.
“The idea is yes, to invite members of our churches to do service projects in the neighborhoods, but it wasn’t to do them by ourselves, it was to invite the entire metropolitan community to work side-by-side, hand-in-hand with we Methodists on these projects,” Kimball said. “So not only are you getting a project done, but you are getting acquainted with people we wouldn’t otherwise been engaged with; so if you will, the un-churched or persons from other denominations — and it’s an opportunity to show Methodists care about the community and be involved.”
Kimball estimated UMCom poured in more than $50,000 for the project in providing prominent billboards, radio remotes, print and online materials, and T-shirts for every volunteer.
Kimball noted the project has required countless hours of work from people such as co-chair Chuck VanLente and outgoing Metro Ministry executive director Susan Hansen. He envisions that everyone’s effort could jumpstart ongoing mission projects within the city.
“Our plan isn’t for this to be a one-time thing where we swoop in and swoop out and then never engage again. I’m going to be kind of tuckered out, so maybe we’ll need a new co-chair for next year’s project,” he said half-jokingly.
0 comments:
Post a Comment