By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
In 1984, Sally Michel, a philanthropist and an avid advocate for Baltimore and causes in support of the city, joined then Baltimore City Mayor William Donald Schaefer for dinner.
The two longtime friends frequently dined together but, on that occasion, something was different.
Credit: Photo by Dave McIntosh Photographics
Schaefer suggested the idea of enhancing the City’s parks so that public spaces would be more inviting – allowing adults, children and their families greater opportunities to rest, observe, reflect and play together. He asked Michel to develop a private-public partnership to facilitate those goals and from that dinner, Parks and People took its first breath.
Michel, inspired by Schaefer’s idea, would go on to develop the Gwynns Falls Trail, establish an Outward-Bound operation in Baltimore and create SuperKids Camp, which allowed Baltimore City’s children the opportunity to witness and experience the beauty and serenity of the outdoors.
Now, 40 years later, Parks and People has revitalized Baltimore’s communities by building parks, transforming green spaces and offering a wide range of educational programs for youth. In celebration of its four decades of service, Parks and People, under the direction of Dr. Frank Lance, president and CEO of Parks and People, held its annual fundraiser on Friday, Sept. 20, on the organization’s beautiful nine-acre green campus in West Baltimore.
The evening’s festivities showcased live entertainment from Sac Au Lait; sumptuous food from local vendors including Eleven Courses, Ekiben, Hue Café, Brick N Fire and Taharka Brothers Ice Cream. There was also dancing and plenty of opportunities for networking. Under the direction of staff members from Kreative Print Shop, attendees even got a chance to screen print a tote bag as a keepsake while the Twilighters Marching Band stepped lively throughout the crowd of more than 225 people.
While it served as the organization’s annual signature event, Lance, along with the rest of his staff and the members of the board of directors, also honored three local individuals whose efforts have been integral both to the success of Parks and People and the thousands of children who have benefited from the collective vision of Michel and Lance.
“Funds raised from Picnic in the Park will help Parks and People continue to revitalize historically disinvested communities, bringing hope and environmental justice to the neighborhoods and residents of the “Black Butterfly” through green spaces and youth programming,” said Lance.
The “Black Butterfly” of Baltimore refers to the shape that appears on a map when one begins to mark the places with disparities in health, food options and internet access. Many of the disparities are concentrated in areas of the city that are predominantly Black.
Credit: Photo by Dave McIntosh Photographics
Lance added that those who received awards during the evening represent community members who have made a significant impact on the well-being of Baltimore City.
The three awardees included the following:
NaTasha Norton, who serves as senior vice president and regional community development manager for Truist, received The Sally Michel Award. The award, named after Parks and People Foundation’s founder, goes to an individual who had made a significant impact in Baltimore out of his or her love for Baltimore.
Reginald Moore, executive director of Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, received The Parks Award – given to someone committed to making green space, parks, playgrounds and trails a staple in Baltimore.
Cristina Saenz de Tejada, U.S. director of the community partnership program for Friends School of Baltimore, received The People Award. The recognition is reserved for an individual who has displayed unwavering dedication to promoting Parks and People’s mission of improving Baltimore through green space and education. While Michel died on August 16, 2018, her vision and her dreams for a Baltimore where everyone is connected to their community and each other through vibrant parks and green spaces have lived on. Since the founding of Parks and People, more than 31,000 children have graduated from SuperKids Camp while thousands of teens have been introduced to nature’s splendor through their Branches internship program.
The post Parks and People celebrates 40th anniversary of service to Baltimore City’s appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.
