Colonial Settlement

June 12, 2012 (Pawtucket, RI) - Over 100 volunteers from the business community met at Wilkinson Park this past Tuesday morning with gloves, rakes, shovels and an enthusiastic work ethic to participate in beautifying parks, planters and gateways into the City during Pawtucket Proud Day 2012.

Mayor Donald R. Grebien participated in clean up activities and thanked participants for their important contribution to the City. The Mayor also thanked the 35 corporate sponsors and businesses involved in the event.

The Pawtucket Land Trust, a subsidiary organization of The Pawtucket Foundation, hosted the event, now in its ninth year, in partnership with The Pawtucket Foundation.  The new land trust is dedicated to land stewardship, preservation and conservation in Pawtucket.

Participants began their work with Operation Clean Sweep throughout Downtown, Slater Mill and the Leon Mathieu Senior Center garden.  The centerpiece project of the event included the rehabilitation of Wilkinson Park where volunteers planted hundreds of perennial flowers, installed edging and repainted all the park benches.  Following the work, volunteers enjoyed lunch in the newly restored park provided by Plouff's food truck.

During the closing ceremony, Pawtucket Proud Day chairmain, John J. Partridge, Esq. awarded the coveted Golden Bucket Award to National Grid's 30-person volunteer team. As he presented to the award to John Isberg and Lori Spangler, he noted, "The same people here who take care of downed wires in a storm are the same people who are working hard beside you today."  Each year, organizers give the award to an individual or team that exhibited outstanding work during Pawtucket Proud Day.

The Pawtucket Land Trust and The Pawtucket Foundation would like to thank the following financial sponsors of Pawtucket Proud Day: Bristol County Savings Bank, Citizens Bank, Delin Design, Rotary Club of Pawtucket, Collette Vacations, Independence Bank, Butler & Messier, Inc., Dunkin' Donuts, E.B. Properties, Pamela Hughe's, Hord Corporation and NEPTCO. In-Kind Sponsors also contributed support for Pawtucket Proud Day: Bristol County Savings Bank, BVCAP, Central Nurseries, Citizens Ice Company, City of Pawtucket, ClassSick Custom Screen Printing, Collette Vacations, Dunkin Donuts, National Grid, North-Eastern Tree Service, Inc., Pawtucket Credit Union, Plouffe's Cup 'n' Saucer, The Arc of Blackstone Valley.