August 10, 2016
More than 400 local teens took a break from their summer jobs last month to lead beautification projects in several Flint-area neighborhoods and parks. The young people, who are part of this year’s Summer Youth Initiative, helped fill more than eight large dumpsters in their efforts to leave the city better than they found it.
“The annual SYI Volunteer Service Day is one of the most important elements of our summer program,” said Rhetta Hunyady, Vice President of Education and Training at the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, which oversees TeenQuest/SYI. “Volunteering is a great way for teens to gain news skills, strengthen their resumes and make a positive impact in their community.”
The event – part of a collaboration with the City of Flint – also teaches the students firsthand about the importance of working together.
“By partnering with local businesses and organizations, the students were able to accomplish a great deal of work – all within the span of a few hours,” said Hunyady. “We are incredibly grateful for all of the support received from the community.”
A special thanks to the following groups for providing support in the form of physical labor or water donations:
- First Ward Community Services in Saginaw
- Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce
- Genisys Credit Union
- Global EEI
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Purves Construction
- Sam’s Club of Flint
- Walmart of Grand Blanc
Sites that were spruced up include the neighborhood surrounding Ashbury United Methodist Church on Davison Road; Addison, Tilden and Edmund Streets; Daniel and Cecil Drives, near Carpenter Road; Brown Street, between Brabyn Avenue and Downey Street; Eastlawn Drive, near Civic Park; and Mason, Robin and Cassius Streets, near Max Brandon Park.
To learn more about SYI, visit flintandgenesee.org/syi.
