Save the Date for KaBoom

September 26 will be one of the biggest days in park district history! Through support from Discover Financial Services and KaBOOM!, a national non-profit agency promoting children at play, the Round Lake Area Park District will be constructing a new playground and a new skate park at the district’s Community Center on Hart Road. These projects have been in planning stages for months now, with the area children participating in Design Day in June when they helped design both projects. Since then, a group of local citizens, district staff, KaBOOM! and Discover have been planning the “Build Day” on September 26.

One of the conditions the park district had to meet was to generate community involvement in the planning and preparation of the event. The district is now recruiting volunteers for the following days, times and duties:

Prep Days Tuesday, September 23
8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 24

8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Volunteers will help stage the equipment, supplies and tools for the upcoming Build Day. The district is seeking 45 volunteers for each day. A light breakfast and a lunch will be served.

Build Day ”Friday, September 26

8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Volunteers will help build the playground, the skate park and numerous side projects such as picnic tables, benches, etc. The district is seeking 100 volunteers for this day. All volunteers will be provided morning snacks and lunch.

In addition to the 100 local resident volunteers, Discover Financial Services will provide 400 volunteers on Build Day. No experience necessary! If you’d like to volunteer but aren’t sure if you have the necessary experience, don’t worry! The Prep and Build Days are well orchestrated and you don’t need any construction experience to participate.

Food and Drinks: With support from the Friends of the Round Lake Area Parks Foundation, the district is also seeking volunteers for serving breakfast snacks on Build Day from 6:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

If you’re interested in any of these volunteer opportunities, please contact the following park district staff liaisons:

• For Prep Days, contact Jeffrey Lurquin, Superintendent of Parks and Facilities at 847-546-8558 or jlurquin@rlapd.org.
• For Food and Drinks, contact Robert Newport, Assistant Director at 847-546-8558 or rnewport@rlapd.org.
• For Build Day, contact Jeff Nehila, Executive Director at 847-546-8558 or jnehila@rlapd.org.

Donations also accepted. Area businesses can also participate in the projects by donating hand tools, food, snacks and drinks. Recognition of your donation(s) will be provided the day of the event and all follow-up publications and press releases. Questions relating to possible donations should be directed to Jeff Nehila, Executive Director, at 847-546-8558 or jnehila@rlapd.org.