Community Plunge (2015)
The Community Plunge is a service event in which members of the UC community volunteer their time and effort for various projects throughout the surrounding communities.
When I received the email to sign up for this event, I was excited as it sounded extremely similar to the Into the Streets service event which I had a positive experience from. The event took place on Saturday, August 29, and lasted from 10 am to 2:30 pm. Concerning the weather, it was a nice day, with clear skies and temperatures in the high seventies. After checking in, I signed up for a team that was scheduled to work with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful to pick weeds at a garden.
Upon arriving at the project location, we met local Roseland community members as well as the Keep Cincinnati Beautiful representative and were briefed on the goals of the day. There were multiple tasks to be completed including tearing down a small wooden structure, removing weeds along the adjoining street, and flattening an overgrown garden. I chose to participate in the garden flattening which primarily consisted of pulling weeds/grass and leveling of roughly twenty raised dirt piles.
While working throughout the event I learned the background of the project area as well as the future renovation plans. The garden was roughly three or four years old and was established for the Roseland community. However, the land is owned by Rite Aid and there was a developing liability issue as the property became overgrown. Our work was phase one of the final plan. The next step would include members of a local gym removing the metal stakes in the ground as well as tilling the dirt that we spread.
Overall I had another positive service experience and look forward to future opportunities to serve the surrounding community.
When I received the email to sign up for this event, I was excited as it sounded extremely similar to the Into the Streets service event which I had a positive experience from. The event took place on Saturday, August 29, and lasted from 10 am to 2:30 pm. Concerning the weather, it was a nice day, with clear skies and temperatures in the high seventies. After checking in, I signed up for a team that was scheduled to work with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful to pick weeds at a garden.
Upon arriving at the project location, we met local Roseland community members as well as the Keep Cincinnati Beautiful representative and were briefed on the goals of the day. There were multiple tasks to be completed including tearing down a small wooden structure, removing weeds along the adjoining street, and flattening an overgrown garden. I chose to participate in the garden flattening which primarily consisted of pulling weeds/grass and leveling of roughly twenty raised dirt piles.
While working throughout the event I learned the background of the project area as well as the future renovation plans. The garden was roughly three or four years old and was established for the Roseland community. However, the land is owned by Rite Aid and there was a developing liability issue as the property became overgrown. Our work was phase one of the final plan. The next step would include members of a local gym removing the metal stakes in the ground as well as tilling the dirt that we spread.
Overall I had another positive service experience and look forward to future opportunities to serve the surrounding community.
Before and after pictures of community garden taken from far corner.