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BlaineMN.gov - CityConnect
Adopt a Park The Adopt a Park program is an opportunity for residents of all ages to become involved in improving the city parks and trail corridors. This is a partnership between you, neighbors, friends, and the city. Groups will work together to accomplish needed park and trail improvements. Activities may range from monthly clean-up activities, to planting flower gardens, to creating new landscape features, or maintaining existing landscape areas. Adopt a Park can involve individuals as well as neighborhood groups or community service organizations. Blaine has 65 city parks. Everything in the parks keeps growing, so volunteer help is vital to enhancing the work of park staff. Volunteering in city parks is a healthy, outdoor activity, in the fresh air and sunshine. Parks can be adopted by one or more groups, as there is always something to do. If you have a park you would like to adopt that is great. Residents who just want to volunteer, city staff would love to help find the perfect park for you. When Volunteers are welcome anytime at the park between 8AM to ½ hour after sunset. Tasks Help with different landscaping and maintenance tasks. Requirements Sign up with parks and recreation staff to reserve your activity. Email AdoptaPark@BlaineMN.gov or call Joy Handt 763-354-4658 to adopt a park. More information is available at, BlaineMN.gov/AdoptAPark
Gail Marinac: Loyal Volunteer On April 5, 2020 Gail Ann Marinac died due to complications from COPD and heart failure. Gail was a longtime volunteer at the City of Blaine and friend to many. Gail lived in the senior building next to Blaine City Hall. Almost every day Gail would be at city hall either in a volunteer capacity, or just stopping by to visit with her many friends as she passed by on her daily walk. She considered Blaine City Hall her home and the people inside her family. Gail was Blaine’s Citizen of the Year in 2014. She was involved with the Police Department at Safety Camp and available every year for helmet fittings. Gail was the greeter at every blood drive for years. She knew everyone by name, and if they did not show up, she was concerned for their wellbeing. Gail was involved with the Parks and Recreation Department. She helped at holiday parties and any opportunity volunteers were needed, she was the number one go to volunteer and was always reliable. Gail was an election judge every year for the city. Anytime she was asked to help, she was there. Though Gail is gone, her memory will always remain. She had a servant’s heart, if she was needed or asked to serve, she was there. No matter how poorly she felt, she would push her walker with the oxygen tank in the basket, and hike over to city hall for any event. If the weather was bad or her breathing was exceptionally poor, and she was unable to walk the short distance from the senior apartments to city hall, she would request a ride just to be present to serve her community and be involved. Gail was a treasure and the city was lucky to have her as such a valued volunteer. For those of us who were lucky enough to have spent time with Gail, to have known the loving, kind, generous and quality individual that she was, we are thankful to have had her in our lives.
Night to Unite This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Night to Unite has been rescheduled to Tuesday, October 6. The event is subject to change due to current public health guidelines at the time of the event. Night to Unite is an evening of neighborhood festivities aimed at crime prevention and building a strong community. Members of the Blaine Police Department and SBM Fire Department make an effort to visit as many registered block parties as possible during the event. For more information, visit BlaineMN.gov/N2U This year the city will conduct a test of the CivicReady notification system on Night to Unite. CivicReady is a service available to Blaine residents to receive emergency notifications from the city. Residents need to sign up to receive the notifications and can customize how and where you receive the notifications. Sign up today at BlaineMN.gov/CivicReadySignUp.
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Emergency Notifications
