Volunteers make all the difference

By Wally Rendon

Wednesday, October 15, 2003 11:58 PM CDT

RACINE - People visiting Racine's beautiful North Beach during the peak summer months might see an occasional motorboat or sail boat run aground, but a sunken pirate ship? That is exactly what they will see after more than 2,000 volunteers converge upon North Beach during Make a Difference Day activities in the Racine area next week.

The pirate ship, complete with a crow's nest, cannon and a gang plank, is only one of the objects that will be built by all the volunteers. Other playground equipment that will be built includes a lighthouse that children can climb into and look over the sand dunes, a giant coho fish slide that gives the child the feeling of being "inside" a fish.

Swings, slides, and other typical playground equipment will be included in the project according to Stephen Smiley one of the project's coordinators.

"The ship, the lighthouse and the fish, are all ideas submitted by kids during the planning of the playground," Smiley said. "It is important to let people know that the playground will be handicapped accessible."

The playground project kicks-off at noon on Monday. It is slated for a grand opening at 4 p.m. on Oct. 26.

Children have been an important part of the process and will continue to be even at the grand opening, Smiley said. A "Name the Playground" contest was held and there were about 350 children to submit names for the playground.

According to Smiley the contest winner will be announced at the next City Council meeting, Oct.21.

"The winner will be taken by limousine to McDonald's and brought back to take part in the ribbon cutting ceremonies. The winning child will have the privilege of cutting the ribbon officially opening the playground," Smiley said.

However, before all this happens the playground needs to be built.

Smiley is urging anyone who would like to be part of this event, or any of the area's dozens of Make A Difference Day projects, to register by calling Racine's Volunteer Center (262) 886-9612 or Sustainable Racine (262) 632-6440. People interested in volunteering also can do so online by visiting: www.racinemakeadifference.org

This will be the ninth year that Racine participates in Make a Difference Day according officials of Sustainable Racine, one of the Make A Difference Day sponsors.

Held every year on the fourth Saturday of October this national event, created 13 years ago by USA Weekend Magazine, is described in its Web site as a celebration of "neighbors helping neighbors."

Millions of people have been involved since it begin. In 2002 there were 3 million people who participated throughout the nation.

Participation in Racine began very slow.

"We only had 400 hundred people volunteer when Racine started eight years ago," said Marilynn Pelky, director for the Volunteer Center of Racine. Since then, the number of volunteers has gone up every year. In the past eight years more than 50,000 people have participated, Pelky said.

Among the many groups that have volunteered help with the playground project is the Young Professionals of Racine.

"As a group of young professionals we felt that the playground will benefit our community," said Dawn Lingo, executive director. "We want to contribute in making our community more attractive."

According to Lingo, 38, many of the members have small children that can enjoy the playground. "We also felt that this project would help attract other young professionals that may be looking to Racine as a place to raise their children."

Matt McVey is one of these volunteers. McVey, 33, graduated from Leadership Racine is also a member of the Young Professionals of Racine. "We feel that we need to give back to the community," he said.

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