Keep Our Community Parks Growing
Calling all nature lovers! Mishawaka’s Adopt-a-Park program has two goals: improving the environment and beautifying our parks, trails, natural areas and open spaces. This program generates a strong sense of ownership and responsibility for the good of the community. Our goal is to involve and educate the community on what it takes to preserve our clean, safe parks and public areas for everyone. This program is a great way for people and organizations to become more involved in their community in a way that promotes civic pride, appreciation and awareness.
Who Can Adopt a Park?
The answer is anyone! Any individual or organization who is dedicated to community improvement can be involved in the Adopt-a-Park program. By participating, individuals, neighborhood organizations, park users, civic and church groups, families, scout troops, businesses, youth groups and schools are all encouraged to do what they can to promote safe, beautiful places for all residents to enjoy.
Which Areas Are Adoptable?
Luckily, with over 25 parks around Mishawaka, there are plenty of spaces that need someone like you. You can adopt an entire park or a particular area in a park including:
- Flower beds
- Playgrounds
- Picnic shelters
- Band shell
- Trails
- Trees & shrubs
- Sidewalks
How Can Volunteering Help?
Our volunteers truly keep our parks clean and safe. Our community volunteers help care for their adopted areas in many different ways, including:
- Litter pickup
- Leaf raking and debris removal (dead grass, tree limbs, vegetation, wind debris)
- Spreading of mulch, gravel, playground fiber
- Removal of exotic invasive plants
- Assisting staff with the planting of flowers and shrubs and maintenance of flower beds (including weeding and watering)
- Cleanup of picnic shelters and play structures
- Helping to take an inventory of our park and public trees
- Other improvement ideas as suggested or approved
How Can I Help?
We are always looking for ways individuals, families or small groups can volunteer right alongside our landscape staff! Each week, our staff forms a plan to beautify Mishawaka’s many parks. Volunteers can help us with many of these tasks.
We also offer volunteers the option to assist with the year-round care of the Mishawaka Education Foundation Community Greenhouse and surrounding gardens at the Battell Community Center. Individuals who wish to work alongside our amazing staff are welcome to join up at any time without commitment.
- Join our landscape staff on Wednesdays at Beutter Park from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Join our landscape staff on Thursdays at Central Park from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Join our landscape staff at the MEF Community Greenhouse year-round to assist with planting, transplanting plants and tending to all varieties of plants that make it out into our wonderful parks.
We offer prizes and incentives for volunteers who log hours with our staff. All volunteers will get a complimentary Parks Volunteer T-shirt.
You can Adopt-a-Park today or get involved by calling the Mishawaka Parks Office at (574) 258-1664 or emailing the Parks Department at parks@mishawaka.in.gov.
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