Make a Difference at the 5th Annual Park Renewal Day. Register Your Team Now to Compete for $1,000 Grand Prize!

On Saturday, November 3rd, volunteers will return to Dearborn Park to root out invasive plants for the 5th annual Park Renewal Day competition. Each year, this event has over 150 participants – all competing for prize money sponsored by Renewal Design-Build – clear more than an acre of English ivy and Chinese privet from the park. The event is organized by Renewal Design-Build, DeKalb County Parks, the City of Decatur’s Active Living division, and Park Pride. View video of past Park Renewal Day competitions here.

Teams will compete for the grand prize of $1,000, while second and third place teams will take home $500 and $300, respectively. Each team’s assigned plot will be scored by local experts and County park officials. A live band, food, and the awarding of prizes follow the competition.

Any group willing to help the park and raise money is eligible to compete. In past years, teams have included school organizations, neighborhood associations, nonprofits, and Scout troops. Last year’s grand prize went to Boy Scouts Troop 18. The winnings funded scholarships for boys who could not afford the Troop’s annual dues, uniforms, camps, and equipment. The Decatur High School Super Close Up Club used their second place winnings toward travel grants for their annual spring trip to Washington D.C.

Interested groups should register as soon as possible; the event is limited to ten teams. For more photos and registration information, visit ParkRenewalDay.com.

About Park Renewal Day

Park Renewal Day is an annual event in which teams compete for prize money by uprooting invasive plants in one of our local community parks. The goals of the initiative are to: educate the community about invasive plant species, save the native species, and keep our parks healthy and clean. The event is organized by Renewal Design-Build, DeKalb County Parks, Park Pride, and the City of Decatur’s Active Living Division.