Wilmot Park saw a crush of volunteers Friday from Honeywell and Rebuilding Together Philadelphia. Volunteers at the event replaced backboards, built benches for basketball spectators, planted trees, installed a flagpole and a commemorative sign to honor the park’s previous life as a cemetery for veterans, and carried out a general cleanup of the site.
Additionally, to further honor the park’s history as a cemetery for veterans, Honeywell employees were building a ramp at the American Legion Post 224. Commanders from Post 224 were to be on site to later in the afternoon to raise the American flag and direct the park’s first flag raising ceremony.
This is continuation of the improvements which were started by a grant from Councilwoman Sanchez office last year for the removal of the old playground equipment and the installation of new in the Spring. The basketball league that was restarted this year played under difficult circumstances though with the old backboards and hoops. These improvements will make a big difference for the kids and neighbors using the park.
“I am more than grateful for all the supporters and stakeholders and those who believed in this community and the great people who live in Frankford. This project is evidence that hard work and dedication, while keeping your faith in a neighborhood, plays off,” says Jason Dawkins, Director of Special Projects for the office of Councilwoman Quiñones Sánchez.
“Our work at Wilmot Park is just the starting point in what we expect to be a long and lasting partnership with Honeywell employees at the Frankford facility,” said Carrie Rathmann, executive director, Rebuilding Together Philadelphia. “We recognize the impact and benefit our revitalization projects have on the local community; with the support and backing of a company like Honeywell, we can do even more good in the neighborhoods that need it the most.
” Today’s event was the Honeywell Frankford facility’s first community project with Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, although Honeywell employees from the Fort Washington facilities have been working with Rebuilding Together Philadelphia for several years. Since 2003, more than 9,000 Honeywell employees have dedicated 71,000 volunteer hours to 306 projects in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, resulting in over $8 million in market value repairs and more than $1 million in employee donations.
Thanks to all for a job well done.
