Volunteer initiative revitalizes Shore Road Park

A stretch of Shore Road Park received some much needed care thanks to an annual community service initiative headed by Cornerstone Church and the Shore Road Parks Conservancy.

A group of 40 volunteers hailing from Brooklyn as well as three churches in Alabama and Georgia participated in the sixth annual “City Uprising” event. From June 29 through July 3, volunteers made use of leaf blowers, weed whackers, dump trucks and other tools in order to maintain an area of the park around 97th Street and Shore Road by clearing overgrown hillsides, trimming excessive plant growth along paths and removing weeds from flower beds. Volunteers also cleaned the 95th Street park bathrooms and collected litter as needed.

“Knowing that NYC Parks has limited resources, we enjoy the opportunity to serve the community by helping to prepare our park space for the summer. We simply want to show our neighbors that we are not just a church in the community, but a church for the community. ” said Cornerstone Church Pastor Nathan Tubbs.

The majority of the volunteers’ tools have been purchased thanks to donations from mobilized volunteers as well as other churches throughout the U.S. Because of Tubbs’ network of contacts made from various church conferences, seminary contacts, etc., his church has been able to host groups from Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Kentucky.

The initiative began in 2011, when Tubbs reached out to the Shore Road Parks Conservancy and asked how he and his newly-formed church could get involved in serving the community. Today, Tubbs is a member of the executive board for the conservancy and is responsible for coordinating other efforts along Shore Road.

“Our city is short on resources in many areas, and churches can help fill in gaps as needed,” said Tubbs. “Working in the park is just one example of how churches can serve the community. Put simply, community service is a tangible expression of our love for God and our neighbors.”