Beautifying Highland Park for Earth Day

April 24, 2023

Foul weather threatened to derail Saturday’s (April 22) A Time to Help Earth Day project, but that wasn’t the case at all.

ATTH volunteers — more than two dozen in all — worked outside under cool and overcast skies to help the city of Highland Park clean up and beautify the property surrounding the Ernest T. Ford Recreation Center.

Except for a few droplets of rain here and there, volunteers stayed on task and completed a couple of painting projects, as well as trimmed overgrowth and picked up trash and debris. There was also an indoor crew that spent the morning inflating basketballs, cleaning windows and organizing the learning library. One trio of volunteers — Jim, Bob and Dave — stayed overtime and built a desk and a file cabinet.

“It’s always good to see the community working together, and we’re very thankful,’’ said Sue Norander, the center’s recreation director.

Ken Brown, who is a radio show co-host with SAY Detroit founder Mitch Albom, participated in the event as did Rick Kelley, SAY Detroit’s executive director.

“We were honored and excited to host ATTH at the Ernest T. Ford Rec Center,’’ Kelley said. “It shows our commitment to Highland Park and the city. And what more appropriate than on Earth Day. Our volunteers could have been at a lot of different places and they chose to come here.’’

Said longtime ATTH volunteer Marshall Hunt: “I saw the weather forecast yesterday and it said torrential rain for today. It ended up good.’’

The next ATTH project is scheduled for May 18 — yes, a Thursday. More details will be released soon.