What is the Park District of La Grange Adopt-A-Park Program?
The Park District of La Grange Adopt-A-Park Program is designed to
encourage the community to work hands-on to help keep La Grange’s parks clean,
safe, and attractive. The program offers the opportunity for people to get more
involved in their community in a way that promotes civic pride, appreciation,
and awareness.
What
does adopting a park entail?
When a group adopts a park from the Park
District of La Grange, the organization’s members pick up litter, report
vandalism, make recommendations to improve the park’s amenities, general
maintenance, and keep an eye on the park. We ask that you do not edge, cut,
prune, or pull any vegetation or weeds before speaking with the Parks Operation Manager at (708)588-2224. We ask the Adopted Park’s contact person to inform and
enforce the Adopt-A-Park policies and procedures within their groups.
Who can
participate?
The Adopt-A-Park Program is open to individuals, youth groups,
neighborhood associations, civic groups, religious organizations, service
organizations, schools (school groups and teams), businesses and other
community organizations throughout the Village of La Grange.
What
is the Adopt-A-Park time commitment?
Each year, the adoption commitment begins in April and concludes
in December. Each group is required to set up monthly work dates at the
beginning of their adoption through the end of the year. It is each Adopted
Park’s contact person’s responsibility to organize monthly clean-ups and keep
track of the group’s total volunteer hours, which are issued for each Adopted
Park. If your group chooses to work year-round with your Adopted Park, please
advise us so the appropriate arrangements can be made.
Each group will be recognized with their name on an Adopt-A-Park sign. Applications must be received by April 1st to get a recognition sign
posted in the park you have adopted. Groups may adopt a park after that date.
How
does one go through the adoption process?
Please fill out the application and email it to the Parks Operation Manager,
Claudia Galla at claudiagalla@pdlg.org. After application review,
a park will be assigned to your group (specific parks can be requested but are
assigned based on availability).
What
are program benefits?
·
Your organization’s name will be acknowledged
on a sign in the designated area of the park.
· It gives groups a chance to have a hands-on role in keeping their park clean and beautiful.
·
It is a wonderful way for your group to spend quality time
together and feel good about giving back to your community through improving
your favorite park.
·
It betters the parks of La Grange for community members and
betters the Park District as a whole.
What
are the Adopt-A-Park guidelines?
1. Parks will be assigned to groups on a first-come, first-serve
basis. Specific Park requests will be reviewed but parks are assigned based on
availability.
2. Groups are to commit to work in the parks one
day per month.
3.
Groups are required to show up on
the scheduled monthly dates but may also show up other times at their leisure.
If the group has collected a large amount of trash from a park or needs
assistance of any kind, they may contact the Parks Operation Manager.
4.
Work is to be
completed during park hours only (dawn to dusk.)
5.
Each group will receive several
waiver forms that must be completed on every occasion they are in the parks to
keep track of volunteers and their hours worked. If waiver forms are not
received regularly, the group will be contacted and asked to renew their
commitment or let another group adopt their site.
6. All waiver forms must be emailed to claudiagalla@pdlg.org (or mailed to the Park District of
La Grange, Attn: Adopt-A-Park, 536 East Ave, La Grange, IL 60525).
7.
All participants should be over the
age of 18 or accompanied by an adult supervisor (i.e., scout and youth groups
accompanied by adult sponsors).
8. Please do not pull any weeds or vegetation without prior approval
from the Parks Operation Manager.
9. Appropriate clothing for weather and work
gloves should be worn.
10. Please report any broken or damaged equipment.
11. All participants are to follow all park
policies set by the Park District of La Grange.
12. Have FUN in the park!
