MDC
WILL COMMEMORATE HANDS ON MIAMI DAY BY HELPING TO RESTORE VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK
Miami, October 27, 2007 – To commemorate Hands on Miami Day, Miami Dade College will supply a team of volunteers to help restore Virginia Key Beach Park, a historic landmark known as Miami’s “colored beach” during the racial segregation era. The day of service begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3.
The event is an annual event for Hands on Miami (HOM), a non-profit organization that provides a place for individuals to begin making a difference through volunteer work. Hands on Miami Day is the largest single-day of service in Miami-Dade County with more than 4,000 citizens participating at 25 different project sites across the community.
Joshua Young, director of the MDC Center for Community Involvement, said at least 70 MDC students, faculty and staff have signed up to help with beach clean-up, removing exotic vegetation and planting new native trees and shrubs. There is a $20 registration fee and all volunteers will receive breakfast, an event t-shirt and a light lunch.
“Hands on Miami is the single most important agency in Miami-Dade County in promoting volunteerism and civic engagement,” said Young. “MDC is proud to partner with an organization that is so committed to helping our community.”
Virginia Key Beach Park, located on Virginia Key, was a social and recreational hub for Miami’s black community for many years. Part of the barrier island is now open to the public, but the historic beach closed down in 1982 and fell into disrepair. Today, a massive coalition of community leaders, organizations and concerned citizens has pledged to restore the beach to its glory days, and make it even better. The beach is slated to re-open in February 22, 2008.
For more information about this event or joining the MDC team, please contact: Joshua Young, CCI director, 305-237-7477.
Media-only contacts: Juan Mendieta, MDC communications director, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu; Beverly C. Rodrigues, MDC media relations director, 305-237-3949, brodrigu@mdc.edu; or Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu.