Subaru’s Day of Caring inspires one family to clean up Kingston Township Center Street Park

KINGSTON TWP. — Rakes, brooms, buckets and sponges don’t sound like the typical items one might take to a visit at a local park, but that’s what Donna Garriott and her family hauled to the Center Street Park on Sunday, June 25.

The family carried the tools into the park Sunday morning with one goal in mind – complete a random act of kindness and spruce up the community park for children attending the township’s summer recreation program.

The volunteering opportunity also was part of Subaru’s Day of Caring slated for June 25, she said.

“I own a Subaru,” Garriott said. “I share Subaru’s love to do an act of kindness.”

Garriott recruited help from her husband, Daryl sons; Tim Allen and Dave Allen and Dave’s girlfriend, Tamara Davis, and friend, Jennifer Baker, to perform a variety of chores such as brush away cobwebs from the pavilion, clean graffiti off picnic tables and tighten loose nuts and bolts on playground equipment.

“Some of the tables have graffiti on them,” Garriott said. “It is not vulgar, but we want to try to clean some of it off.”

The 48-year-old Kingston Township resident did request a load of fresh mulch from the municipality with the idea of adding more to the areas around the playground equipment.

However, the township was unable to provide mulch for Sunday, so the family raked out the existing mulch as well as the sandbox, Garriott said.

Garriott remembers bringing her children to the park and wants other families to enjoy the public space.

“My kids went to this park,” Garriott said. “My grandchild is now coming to this park.”

The Kingston Township Summer Recreation program will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting July 5 and ending Aug. 23 at the Center Street Park in Shavertown.

The annual children’s program is open to all children who reside in the Dallas School District. The camp will include many activities and field trips throughout the summer.

Registrations are accepted in the Kingston Township Administration Office from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. until July 7.

Parents and caregivers must provide proof of residency, age of children and completion of kindergarten for 5-year-olds to register for the program.

A township logo-t-shirt will be provided to each child upon registering.

Volunteer Jennifer Baker works on removing graffiti and cobwebs from the Kingston Township Center Street Park pavilion.

https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_20170625_110529.jpgVolunteer Jennifer Baker works on removing graffiti and cobwebs from the Kingston Township Center Street Park pavilion. Submitted photos

Dave Allen, Tamara Davis, Donna Garriott, Daryl Garriott and Jennifer Baker volunteered their time to spruce up the Kingston Township Center Street Park for the annual children’s summer recreation program. Tim Allen also helped in the clean up effort, but had to leave before the picture was taken.

https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_20170625_120340.jpgDave Allen, Tamara Davis, Donna Garriott, Daryl Garriott and Jennifer Baker volunteered their time to spruce up the Kingston Township Center Street Park for the annual children’s summer recreation program. Tim Allen also helped in the clean up effort, but had to leave before the picture was taken. Submitted photos

Tamara Davis uses a blower to clean off the tennis courts and the area under the pavilion at the Kingston Township Center Street Park.

https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_20170625_120612.jpgTamara Davis uses a blower to clean off the tennis courts and the area under the pavilion at the Kingston Township Center Street Park. Submitted photos

Dave Allen rakes out the sandbox at the Kingston Township Center Street Park. Allen was part of a group of volunteers who cleaned up the park in preparation for the municipality’s Summer Recreation program.

https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_20170625_120653-1-.jpgDave Allen rakes out the sandbox at the Kingston Township Center Street Park. Allen was part of a group of volunteers who cleaned up the park in preparation for the municipality’s Summer Recreation program. Submitted photos

Kingston Township’s Center Street Park gets cleaned up for a busy summer by resident Donna Garriott and her family June 25.

https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_cleanup1_faa.jpgKingston Township’s Center Street Park gets cleaned up for a busy summer by resident Donna Garriott and her family June 25. Fred Adams|For Dallas Post

Donna Garriott and her family raked out the existing mulch around the playground equipment at the Center Street Park in an effort to prepare the area for a busy summer.

https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_cleanup3_faa.jpgDonna Garriott and her family raked out the existing mulch around the playground equipment at the Center Street Park in an effort to prepare the area for a busy summer. Fred Adams|For Dallas Post

The Center Street Park in Kingston Township is an active area attracting families throughout the Back Mountain. Shown, David Worth, 8, collects balls as his sister, Abby, takes a swing at a pitch from their dad.

https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_cleanup4_faa.jpgThe Center Street Park in Kingston Township is an active area attracting families throughout the Back Mountain. Shown, David Worth, 8, collects balls as his sister, Abby, takes a swing at a pitch from their dad. Fred Adams|For Dallas Post