SCRANTON, Pa. — Dozens gathered in Fellows Park just off of South Main Avenue in Scranton to celebrate another successful year of park cleanups and the crews behind it all.
William McDonald, a youth advocate behavioral health technician, couldn't be more excited.
"The program is really special because the kids are showing up and showing out in the Scranton community and giving back and making the parks a little bit safe, one location at a time," McDonald said.
The My Work Initiative, a partnership between the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and Youth Advocate Programs, helps young people with disabilities and other challenges learn the skills to be successful in their daily lives.
Scranton Parks and Recreation agreed to be one of our My Work Initiative summer jobs employers.
Tina Sanko of Dalton was one of the members who came into the program with no idea what to expect.
"You think you're not going to learn something. You think you're just going to work, but you do. You learn family. You learn values, but you mostly learn that you have people by your side," Sanko said.
The ceremony opened with a few words of congratulations for the workers on all they've done for the parks in Scranton — from painting pavilions, planting new bushes, trash cleanup, and more.
Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti is grateful for the hard work done to help keep all of Scranton's parks beautiful.
"This is a culmination on these days at the end of the summer of all the hard work these kids have done. I don't see a reason why we shouldn't keep expanding it," the mayor said.
A group photo wrapped up another successful year of hard work and park cleanup.
Joe Burke, a member of the Youth Advocate Program, has advice for people who want to visit the parks that he and his new friends worked so hard to clean up.
"Treat a park like your own backyard and keep it clean."
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