Rockingham Area Community Land Trust NeighborWorks Week a Success
Projects Continue thru Summer 

Thirty volunteers--including residents of the Southview Apartments and Rockingham Area Community Land Trust (RACLT) staff and board members--celebrated National NeighborWorks^® Week June 7^th through 14^th. Volunteers participated in several community projects at Southview Apartments in Springfield, Vermont. These projects improved outdoor recreational areas and the interior of the community center. The projects will continue throughout the summer and into early fall. 

The volunteers constructed a mini-park and started site-work for a basketball half-court at the apartments. They painted the interior of the Southview Community Center and began planning for a natural playground area to be constructed in the fall. The park and basketball court will be finished by community volunteers and a contractor during the next few months. 

Highlighting the celebration, Southview residents and RACLT staff volunteers participated in a one-day NeighborWorks Paints! event. NeighborWorks Paints! was a special event created by NeighborWorks America to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of NeighborWorks Week. Encouraged to go green, RACLT is joining the green effort by painting the community center interior with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) paint. Supervised by adult volunteers, children decorated the walls with various colored handprints to finish interior walls. 

Ten year-old Jessica said “I like the colors. The community room is much brighter now. I look forward now to attend activities there.” 

Outside the community center volunteers assisted in the construction of a mini-park which featured a small court yard with plantings. A picnic bench and several sitting benches will be added soon. The mini-park will provide a common area for residents and visitors to relax and converse. Moreover, the mini-park enhances the landscape around the community center building.  

The basketball half-court paving will begin in mid-July. The basketball court will provide a safe area to throw hoops. Volunteers erected a temporary pole and backboard to use until a permanent court is built. A fund raising committee has been organized to help pay for the basketball court and a new backboard. 

Keana, a basketball enthusiast says “Older kids definitely needed somewhere to play ball. I can’t wait till the paved court is ready.” 

Site-work planning for a natural playground has begun with help from Ethan King, a consultant. Natural playgrounds encourage children to explore the outdoors in a safe natural setting. Planning for the natural playground requires selecting a design, clearing an existing area of debris and leveling the landscape. Some previously used playground equipment may be temporarily cleaned and assembled for use until the natural playground is put in place. The natural playground is scheduled to be built in the fall of 2008. 

RACLT thanks the following businesses for their generous support – Schwan’s Sales, Shaw’s Market, Lisai’s Market, Pepsi Co., Sherwin Williams, LaValley Ludlow Building Supply.

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About Rockingham Area Community Land Trust
RACLT’s mission is to maximize affordable housing opportunities for the people of southeastern Vermont. RACLT owns 350 apartments and several mobile home lots which are affordable to low and moderate income families. This year, RACLT is developing affordable housing in Windsor, Cavendish, Springfield and Rockingham. RACLT’s NeighborWorks^® HomeOwnership Center of Southeastern Vermont assists over 60 Windsor and Windham county families to become first time homebuyers each year.

For information contact:
Stephen Karvonen
Marketing Manager/IT Support
RACLT
Office-802-885-3220 ext. 213