Friends of Five Creeks’ restoration projects took giant steps forward this summer thanks to many teen volunteers. They ranged from individuals to international exchange students — like the 50 high-school student from Mexico who cleared the mountain of invasives shown in the photo. The students, many from areas plagued by drugs and violence, stayed at UC Berkeley as part of a program aimed at developing leaders from non-elite groups. The Jovenes in Accion (Youth in Action) program is run by AYUSA Global Youth Exchange. Other volunteers came from the Civic Leadership Institute, a Northwestern University-based program for outstanding high-school students nationwide, and from local teen programs including Camp Kee Tov.
New Grants further BPFP Partner Groups’ Projects
Two grants from the 2010 round of University of California Berkeley’s Chancellor’s Community Partnership Grants will further BPFP Partner Groups’ projects. These annual grants support projects in which Berkeley nonprofit groups partner with UC students, faculty, or staff. For 2010, grants focused on safety.
The LeRoy Steps Safety Project received $7,160 to improve pedestrian lighting on historic LeRoy Steps, a heavily used shortcut north of the UC Berkeley campus. With an additional recent $1500 grant from PG&E for the project, the neighborhood group will be able to make this busy shortcut north of the UC Berkeley campus more attractive and safer.
The Greening Berkeley Coalition received $5000 to continue their partnership with UC Berkeley’s CalCorps. The partnership brings student volunteers into the community to work hands-on on outdoor “greening” projects, while helping to pay for materials. The Coalition in 2010 includes Aquatic Park EGRET, Berkeley Path Wanderers, CHIA, East Bay GPA, Friends of Five Creeks, Friends of Grotto Rock Park, Presentation Park Partners, and Schoolhouse Creek Common.
BPFP folks in the news
Congrats to Friends of Five Creeks president Susan Schwartz, named “Best Watershed Warrior” in the annual Best of the East Bay issue of the East Bay Express (July 14-20, //www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/best-watershed-warrior/BestOf?oid=1922996Best Watershed Warrior, select “People and Places” section). And congrate to Berkeley Path Wanderers Assn. and path-building head Charlie Bowen on completion and gala dedication of Northgate Path, Berkeley’s 100th named path. Read about it in the new online news wire, Berkeleyside, //www.berkeleyside.com.
KING PARK COMMUNITY PICNIC
Date: Sunday, July 25th
Time: 12:00-3:00
Location: King Park tot area (Hopkins Street at Colusa in North Berkeley)
Please join the Friends of King Park for a community picnic Sunday, July 25th. Sponsored by the Berkeley Covenant Church, this family-friendly event will include food, a bouncy house, face painting, a “Create with Nature Zone” led by Environmental Artist Zach Pine, planting activities and old-fashioned games. Visit the information table to get a sneak peak at the collaborative mural project and find out more about proposed park improvements.
The picnic will be held at King Park, located on Hopkins Street at Colusa, between the tennis courts, King Swim Center, and the track.
To find out how you can help support our neighborhood park, contact jeanine_strickland@yahoo.com
See you there!
Waterside Cafe open at Aquatic Park!
Aquatic Park’s new waterfront coffee shop is offering 25 cents off any beverage if you arrive by bike! Waterside Cafe is open Tuesday – Sunday 10-6 in the courtyard of the historic sailboat house at 84 Bolivar Drive, south of the foot of Addison St. The cafe is part of nonprofit Waterside Workshops (www.watersideworkshops.org), which also offers wooden-boat building and do-it-yourself bike repair (plus sale of used bikes), all including job training for local teens. It’s yet another in Aquatic Park’s impressive list of community-generated projects, which include Dreamland for Kids playground (built by BPFP volunteers), the Berkeley Garden Club’s beautiful drought garden, Berkeley Paddling and Rowing Club, and Aquatic Park EGRET at the south end of the park.