News release from Vision 2020 Millenials and Friends of the Parks:
Revealing Our Rivers to focus on downtown riverfronts
Millennial Leaders Alliance to clean up Guldlin Park during April 19th event
(April 15, 2014) – Volunteers from throughout the community will work together to clean up Fort Wayne’s downtown riverfronts Saturday, April 19 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. One participating group in the Revealing Our Rivers clean-up event will be the Millennial Leaders Alliance (MLA), the leadership body of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership’s Millennial 2020 program. The MLA will join other community groups and volunteers to showcase the beauty of the rivers.
The second annual Revealing Our Rivers clean-up is a partnership between Friends of the Parks, Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation and the Tri-State Watershed Alliance.
“The parks and greenways along Fort Wayne’s riverbanks provide area residents with a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities. We are grateful for the support of area organizations and individual volunteers who recognize the important role these spaces play in our community,” said Julie Donnell, co-president of Friends of the Parks.
Friends of the Parks of Allen County, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the stewardship and improvement of the parks in the Fort Wayne, Ind. area, has selected six sites along the riverbanks that volunteers will help prepare for spring and summer. Volunteers will help clean up trees, invasive species such as honeysuckle, tree of heaven and grapevine, trash and other debris left on the downtown riverfronts.
Members of the MLA have volunteered to clean up Guldlin Park during the event. The MLA will be joined by members of the West Central Neighborhood Association and the Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council.
“Downtown riverfront development is an important asset for Northeast Indiana in attracting and retaining talent to the region. Guldlin Park, located along the St. Mary’s River, features the only public boat ramp available in downtown Fort Wayne. The MLA sees great potential for the space, and participating in the Revealing Our Rivers clean-up is one small way we can help highlight our rivers,” said Sonya Snellenberger, Millennial 2020 specialist.
Millennial 2020 is an extension of Vision 2020 , a regional initiative stewarded by the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership working to transform Northeast Indiana. Millennial 2020’s leadership body, the MLA, is comprised of Millennials, those roughly between the ages of 15 and 25. The clean-up of Guldlin Park is one way the MLA is committed to supporting downtown riverfront development, one of Vision 2020’s priorities.
In addition to the MLA’s clean-up of Guldlin Park, students and teachers from The Crossing Educational Center in Fort Wayne have adopted the riverbanks near the Water Filtration Plant. Additional clean-up locations during Revealing Our Rivers include the Third Street pump station, Headwaters Park West, Harrison Street Bridge heading west toward the historic Wells Street Bridge and Bloomingdale Park East.
The clean-up will be held in light rain or shine.
Friends of the Parks is still accepting volunteers for the clean-up. Those interested in volunteering can e-mail libertyisland0409@gmail.com, call 260.348.2871, sign up online at www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4EAEAD2CAAFC1-revealing/12157331 or register the day of the event in the small parking lot on the east edge of Headwaters Park. All volunteers must be at least 18 years old and will be required to sign a waiver.
Contact Friends of the Parks at libertyisland0409@gmail.com or 260.348.2871 with questions about the Revealing Our Rivers event.
About Friends of the Parks
Friends of the Parks of Allen County is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the stewardship and improvement of the parks in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. Modeled after successful efforts in other communities, Friends of the Parks believes that the difference between average and outstanding parks is the involvement of park users in activities ranging from park planning to volunteerism to fund raising.
About the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and Millennial 2020
The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership was formed in 2006 to help build a globally competitive economy in Northeast Indiana. It is a public-private partnership focused on generating business leads and building regional capacity through product development and effective regional collaboration. The Northeast Indiana Fund (Fund) was created in 2005 to operate as a supporting organization of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, focused specifically on product development and regional collaboration. In 2010, the Partnership launched Vision 2020 to bring the region together around five key areas for economic growth: 21st Century Talent, Competitive Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure and Quality of Life. Through its combined efforts in business development and capacity building, the Partnership supports its 10 member counties: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties. For more information, visit www.NEIndiana.com.Millennial 2020 is an extension of Vision 2020, a regional initiative stewarded by the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, working to transform Northeast Indiana through the five pillars of 21st Century Talent, Competitive Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure, and Quality of Life. Millennial 2020 gives Millennials an active voice and role in Vision 2020 and directly aligns with Vision 2020’s mission for Northeast Indiana of developing, attracting, and retaining talent. For more information about Millennial 2020, visit millennial2020.com.
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