Populum Beautifies Local Park in Omaha
by Taylor Hogan
Every quarter, the Populum team finds ways to give back to our community. On September 2, the Populum team got to work on cleaning up Leavenworth Park in Omaha, NE. They teamed up with Omaha Parks and Recreation and volunteered through their VIP Volunteer in the Parks Program.
The Omaha park system consists of over 250 parks, 18 pools, 13 community centers, 11 spray grounds, and 8 golf courses. It takes the support from the Omaha community to keep the parks clean and beautiful. In 2019 the Omaha parks department had over 1,500 volunteers in the VIP program.
Tricia Marks, Director of Customer Experience, coordinated the volunteer outing for the team. Since safety of team members during the ongoing pandemic is the first priority of Populum leadership, Tricia Marks worked to find a project that allowed the team to be outdoors and socially distant.
“I picked the City of Omaha Parks and Recreation Beautification project because I wanted us to do something together as a team to enjoy the outdoors,” said Tricia Marks. “I also wanted to promote and encourage others in the community to get outside and be active while helping to keep Omaha beautiful. My college degree started with course work in parks and recreation so I have a connection to being active and getting outdoors when you can.”
The team went to work cleaning up a park and trail near downtown Omaha. They "beautified" the park by cleaning up trash, pulling weeds, and raking sand.
“I love seeing the transformation that a team can make in a day,” said Jenna Klein, Omaha Parks and Recreation Coordinator. “The difference a couple hours can make is pretty awesome.”
Seeing the park transform was a rewarding experience for the Populum team, especially when others around the neighborhood took notice. A couple people driving by shouted a “Thanks!” while the Populum team cleaned up trash. One little girl with her grandmother at the park even thanked the team directly as they left, “Thank you for cleaning my park!”
Whether it's monetary donations, or giving time as volunteers, service to the community and giving back has always been at the heart of Populum. As a wellness brand, we recognize the importance of having a healthy community around us and strive to do what we can to make a difference.
If you are interested in getting involved with the Omaha Parks VIP Volunteer program, check out our their website or contact Jenna Kleine at [email protected].
