VOLUNTEER for HARVEST FEST at Palmer Park

1121 Merrill Plaisance Street,Detroit MI 48203

02 October, 2021

Description

Volunteer at Harvest Fest: help children with arts & crafts, picking & decorating pumpkins, serving cider, apples & donuts, grilling corn! Volunteer all day, or for a few hours. We appreciate all help! In the morning, 10 am-12:30 pm: we will be setting up tents, tables and chairs getting the grill going to roast the cornsetting up pumpkins in the patch and scarecrows in the gardenclean up and preparing the site for the eventShift 1: 12:30-3 pm Helping children pick and decorate pumpkinsArts & Crafts: decorating the scarecrows, decorating the SukkahColoring & creating "my story" books for kidsServing cider, apples, donutsGrilling and serving corn-on-the cobEntertainment coordinatingShift 2: 2:45-5:15 Same as above, but includes clean up and breakdownClean Up: 4-5:30 (a few more folks to help breakdown the tents, tables, etc.) Harvest Fest, a free, all ages family-friendly festival presented by People for Palmer Park, will celebrate the turn of seasons with dance, music, storytelling, art-making, pumpkin picking, and harvest-related foods on Saturday, October 2 from 1-4 pm in Palmer Park, in the lawn adjacent to the Palmer Park Community Center, Splash Park and Garden at 1121 Merrill Plaisance, Detroit, 48203. Palmer Park is located in northwest Detroit, just west of Woodward Avenue, between McNichols and Seven Mile Roads and bordered by Merrill Plaisance The Festival will include performances of “The Last Unicorn,” an imaginative, playful, and restorative experience with music, dance, costumes, and poetry about Mother Earth, the survival and extinction of species, and balance in the animal kingdom. It reminds us of that magic resides in our connection with nature and one another. This fun-filled community event, held for the past decade (until Covid last year), celebrates the vibrancy of nature with enriching activities. Be among the first to taste apples from the Palmer Park orchard; enjoy grilled corn on the cob, and freshly pressed apple cider donated by Motor City Brewing Works; and autumn would not be complete without donuts, and pumpkin picking (free pumpkins for the first 150) and decorating. There will be guided nature walks to explore the forest, and a special visit by the Huron Clinton Metropark Mobile Learning Center to learn about animals, see furs, feathers, skulls and other artifacts, and meet and pet snakes and other live animals. There will also be special storytelling, book giveaways, and other surprises. Author Barbara Allen, a sixth-generation descendent of famed abolitionist and suffragist Sojourner Truth, will read from her new children’s book, “Remembering Great Grandma.” The “Read in Color” program through Little Free Library has donated books focusing on the experiences of BIPOC or LGBTQ people that will be given out to children while they last. People for Palmer Park’s sponsors for this year’s event include City of Detroit Parks & Recreation Dept., City of Detroit General Services and Motor City Brewing Works.   "A park for the good of everyone."~Senator Thomas W. Palmer   With the threat of park closings and budget cuts by the city, the People for Palmer Park (PFPP) arose from members of the community who love Palmer Park for the gem it was, is, and can be.  PFPP is dedicated to the revitalization of Palmer Park and creating a safe, accessible and equitable place for everyone of all ages to enjoy nature, recreation and healthy opportunities. PFPP is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and the official "Adopt-a-Park" Partner with the CIty of Detroit. PFPP believes that with the collective energy, efforts, and talents of the people who use and love the park, it can be revitalized to its fullest potential and restored to what Senator Palmer envisioned when he donated the land for the park in the late 1800s: “a park for the good of everyone.” Palmer Park is comprised of 296 acres of lawns and historic woodlands, new tennis courts, splash park, hiking and biking trails, Lake Frances, a historic log cabin, a community garden, playgrounds, and more.  PFPP is a membership organization and new members and volunteers are necessary and welcome. Core members of the PFPP include residents and representatives from diverse neighborhoods and community organizations. PFPP is committed to the preservation, recreation, and revitalization of Palmer Park, for the good of all. Our vision is to create an urban oasis, regional destination, and daily recreation site that will promote an active and healthy community. Our guiding values include preservation of park resources; restoration and preservation of the park’s history; equal benefit and access to the park; creation of a safe park environment; responsiveness to park users and the community; timeliness in our actions; and collaboration and cooperation with city, community, and stakeholders. www.peopleforpalmerpark.org