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A Flood of Aid by Chris Katsougris, CLP, and Kerry Patrick Hays, CLP When the clouds form in the sky, there is often a mixed reaction to an impending storm. The same rain which nourishes the vegetation we plant in our parks has the potential to unleash serious devastation to cities and towns in its path. The flooding which occurred this past summer along the Mississippi River demonstrates the more destructive temperament of this natural phenomenon. An unlikely response to this tragedy came as a result of the desire among a group of Darien Park District daycampers to do something to help those affected by the flooding. Of the many options that were discussed, it was determined that there was a lack of aid being offered on behalf of the children affected by this devastation. With that in mind, the Darien daycampers set out to collect those items that they would miss most if they themselves had lost everything. Recognizing the potential impact this project could have if it involved many park and recreation agencies, staff requested and was given permission from the Board of Park Commissioners to organize a regional effort. Letters outlining the project were sent by facsimile to more than fifty Chicagoland park and recreation agencies. Within days, twenty-one agencies confirmed their participation. Those who participated included agencies from Alsip, Batavia, Burbank, Carol Stream, Downers Grove, DuPage County, Geneva, Glencoe, Glen Ellyn, Glenview, Hazel Crest, LaGrange, Naperville, Oak Brook, Oak Park, Olympia Fields, Palatine, Westmont, Wilmette and Woodridge.
Having developed the system for collection, it became necessary to determine a point for delivery. Contact was made with a representative of the Quincy Park District who agreed to coordinate the delivery. From this initial contact, we were made aware of a family from that area who were shopping when the levy broke and the flooding destroyed their home. Lost in the destruction were all the children's belongings, including an extensive collection of baseball cards. This story and the specific request from these children helped to emphasize for our staff the importance of our efforts. The outpouring of donations was a clear indication that our Park District vehicles would not be able to handle the demand and that we would need to solicit alternate forms of transportation. Contact was made with our local rental agent who enthusiastically offered to contact Ryder Truck rental to have the transporting vehicles donated. The next step was to orchestrate the consolidation of donations from each of the participating recreation agencies. Each agency was given a one week time period for collection of items throughout their camps. On Friday of that week, contact was made with the participating agencies to establish a delivery schedule to Darien. As the deliveries were made, staff and volunteers sorted, boxed, labelled and identified by recreation agency the array of school supplies, toys, food and clothes that were donated. This processing was accomplished and the cartons loaded on the trucks within three days for the scheduled delivery to Quincy. Continued contact with representatives from the Quincy Park District identified the location of a Salvation Army warehouse located in Quincy where the materials were delivered. Previous arrangements were made to meet with the family mentioned earlier which we unofficially "adopted." A member of our staff was successful in arranging for a sizeable donation of baseball cards. In addition, the children were presented with a box filled with stuffed animals, books, dolls and sports equipment. The appreciation they expressed added a human touch to our efforts as the 588 boxes of toys, food and clothing were unloaded and prepared for distribution. Natural disasters often appear distant to those untouched by the devastation. Newscasts and articles often increase our personal feelings of helplessness and frustration. As each box was unloaded, its label carried a silent reminder of where the contents were originally collected. In a period of two weeks, twenty-one different park and recreation agencies combined their efforts to meet a need and make a difference to those children who needed to know that someone cared. About the Authors Chris Katsougris, CLP, is the Director of Recreation for the Darien Park District. Kerry Hays, CLP, is the Administrator for the Darien Park District.
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