Vernon Park got a lot of love on October 17, as 55 employees from four insurance companies came together in celebration of The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) Week of Giving. This 8-day fall tradition is part of a series of charitable actions and donations from insurance companies across the country. Since 1998, more than 25,000 insurance professionals have volunteered for over 166,000 hours of community service. In Philadelphia, these companies volunteered to spend some time with TTF! These volunteers gathered at Vernon Park in Germantown for some fall cleanup. They weeded the children’s garden, picked up trash, raked leaves and cleared walkways. Volunteers also weeded our world famous rain garden. The Maplewood Mall was tidied up by volunteers to in preparation for the weekend block party.
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Volunteer Coordinator David Bower instructed volunteers on park maintenance, and Erin Engelstad of the Fairmount Conservancy worked with volunteers in the rain garden.
Insurance professionals from Conner, Strong and Buckelew volunteered in parks throughout North Philadelphia during the morning, and then lent a hand at Vernon Park. NSM Insurance and CSAA volunteers were instrumental in preparing Maplewood Mall for its upcoming block party. Shop owners and Germantown CDC organizers were thrilled at the improvement at the mall following the cleanup. Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY) Professionals were the largest group, with 37 at the park.
These wonderful people were happy to get out of the office and improve helped their region. The Friends of Vernon Park appreciated the effort and local residents saw the insurance professionals working hard and joined in! Community members and insurance volunteers working together embodied the spirit of this week of giving, and all left with a stronger sense of giving in Philadelphia and the TTF Watershed.
And of course, we took advantage of the opportunity to provide watershed and stormwater education at the same time!
