The Kiwanis Club of Roanoke dedicated its environmental education project on the Roanoke River Greenway with a celebration last Saturday, one that included the president of the Kiwanis International organization. Paul Palazzolo, based in Springfield, IL, had attendees at the Wasena Park picnic shelter in stitches as he spoke about former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who reigned in Springfield until he was forced from office.
Palazzolo was really on hand to sing the praises of the Roanoke Kiwanis Club, which has pledged $30,000 over three years for the greenway project, including 6” by 6” wooden mileposts every tenth of a mile along the Lick Run and Roanoke River greenways and a series of nature-oriented interpretive education signs. Palazzolo was also presented a key to the city by Roanoke mayor David Bowers, a long time member of the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke.
Turning the greenway into outdoor classrooms is a Kiwanis goal, inspired in part by Richard Louv’s “Last Child in the Woods,” about the “nature deficit disorder” the author claims many children suffer from today. Several Roanoke City teachers and school superintendent Dr. Rita Bishop spoke about the need for outdoor education and the value of Roanoke’s growing greenway system at last weekend’s event.
A child who understands the value of the outdoors “is a much more responsible citizen,” said Bishop. A new educational guide helps teachers explain the Lick Run greenway flora and fauna during field trips.
Former Roanoke City councilman Rupert Cutler called for the school system to “adopt” the greenways as an educational tool, “using [them] as outdoor classrooms.” The Roanoke Greenway Commission and the volunteer group “Pathfinders for Greenways” helped make the Kiwanis project possible.
Current Kiwanis Club of Roanoke president Ken Briggs said the greenways were “ideal for a signature project,” when the idea was floated and voted on by the membership several years ago.
Twice a year Kiwanians also participate in a Roanoke River cleanup along the greenway, which will grow longer when a bridge at Wasena Park and a new trail section heading towards Salem open next month. “Our club loves sweat equity,” said past president Andree Brooks.
City greenways planner Donnie Underwood called the Kiwanis effort “the ideal partnership,” for the City of Roanoke. “We can’t do it without you,” he noted. The ultimate goal, said Underwood, is to connect greenways to neighborhoods to further encourage their use.
“We wanted this project to have a really big impact,” said Cutler, who uses the Lick Run greenway frequently. “Government can’t do it all,” noted Palazollo, once more extolling the ongoing Roanoke Kiwanis Club effort.
By Gene Marrano [email protected]
