Thanks to all of the following who are contributing time and money so that all of us around Roanoke Park have more good green space to complement our urban lifestyles.
There were 33 people on site at the peak time of the past two weekends.
Five of the hardiest of workers each weekend were the crack crew of workers from Lawrence who came to us through donations. On July 10, the crew first came courtesy of an anonymous donor… They so impressed Randell Moore and Dr. Andrew Park with the amount of work they achieved that Andrew and Randy stepped up and underwrote this same team for the following Saturday, July 17th! Miles Krivena, John Frick and Dave Foster provided transport for the Lawrence crew and fed us all both Saturdays. (See photos.)
They did it!
Pete Browne, Scott Burnett, Doug Deady, Officer Finn, Dave Foster, John Frick, Pam Gilford, Paul Kamps, Miles Krivena, Manuel Lopez, Holly Mehl, Peter Meier, Frank Messer, Randy Moore, Andrew Park, Joan A. Riffel, John Riffel, Kite Singleton, Tim Stoup, Lucy Terry and Curt Watkins and to the others whose names didn’t get recorded here, please advise me by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Production was up the 2nd Saturday thanks to Randy Moore making the rounds and collecting over $600* to acquire a new, “industrial strength” brush cutter, blades and other supplies for us. Even Strasser Hardware jumped in by “cutting” us a deal in response to Miles Krivena and Randy’s compelling presentation of the opportunity to help out. Randy thoroughly field tested the new device. Check the now cut back edges all long Belleview lane that winds down into the park. Both sides are substantially cleaned up thanks to Randy and the new brush cutter. One said the activity released some sweet aroma. Sassafras maybe? Go sniff.
Dave Dresnick of Superior Grinding (just west of Browne’s Irish Deli at 619 W. 33 Street) has made the much needed sharpening of the chain saw blades, machetes and other cutting tools very affordable for us. He just does it. Thanks Dave!
*Thanks to the households of Marilou Joyner, Bill Koenigsdorf; Art Perry; Cary Goodman; Rik Siro; Craig Hakkio; Andy Dodge; Marilyn Hutchinson; Olo Szylleyko; Marvin Rogers and Charlie Becker for answering the door when Randy came calling and sending him on his way, happily.
Kite Singleton arranged for Officers James Schriever and Sean Finn to bring community service workers for the entire morning of the 17th. One said we were the only place on this particular tour that serves lunch.
Thanks again to the Kansas City Parks Department for coming by to check for and make pickups each week for the past 10 weeks. It is they who are doing the really heavy lifting. They promptly pick up the mountains of debris that we get to the curbside. They even squeezed our pickup in this week while they were dealing with the Ruskin storm damage. Thanks to Frank and Terrence who we got to talk to on Tuesday while they were loading trucks with the 5 piles around the park.
In addition to the Lawrence crew and Community Service folks thanks to the volunteers at left who were on site.
And for those wanting to help out in other ways there are plenty of opportunities including the “SURROGATE VOLUNTEER” program. You or you and friends, perhaps your homes association, can sponsor the Lawrence crew. $560 transports the five hard workers to the park for a day, feeds them and returns them home with hydrating elixir. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. has the details and is also coordinating other donations.