But an important goal of Park Day is to give back to the Charleston community, and the event does so in a big - and far-reaching - way. This year on Saturday, November 9, nineteen Charleston-area charitable organizations will be represented at Park Day, where they will raise money and awareness among the 7,000-10,000 people that annually attend the festival.
"Daniel Island has established a strong tradition to giving back to its neighbors in the region in far-reaching ways, and Park Day is a wonderful celebration of this spirit," says Jane Baker, Vice President of Community Services for the Daniel Island Property Owners' Association and Administrator for the Daniel Island Community Fund, one of the main sponsors of Park Day.
Admission and parking at this fall festival on Daniel Island are free, but visitors give back by participating in the more than 35 special activities planned, and interacting with the participating charities to learn how they can help. Each charity is paired with a Park Day event or activity and provides volunteers to help run the event during the day. In return, they receive 100% of the money collected at that activity.
"Park Day was a very successful fundraiser for our 'Families Helping Families' project last year," says Shelli Quenga, of the Palmetto Project. The organization provided volunteers who spent the day running the festival’s Giant Mountain Slide event. The attraction raised more than $1,500 to provide necessities and gifts for families in need at the holidays.
"That is a significant one-day fundraising effort for us," Quenga says. "That money goes a long way. Because of the generosity of the Daniel Island community - and the fun their families had at the Giant Mountain Slide at Park Day - approximately 60 children and elderly people received gifts of clothing, food and personal hygiene items last year."
Since inception, Park Day has raised more than $200,000 for a diverse collection of more than 60 area non-profit organizations. The annual festival is made possible by the cash and in-kind support of more than 50 sponsors, including Presenting Sponsors Daniel Island Real Estate and the Daniel Island Community Fund; Stage Sponsor BenefitFocus; Marquee Sponsors The Greenery and Home Telecom; and Media Sponsors the Daniel Island News and Chuck 101.7 FM.
"We're very thankful to the sponsors who come together to make this festival and its charitable outreach possible," Baker added. "We would not be able to pull off Park Day without their generous support, as well as the generosity of visitors who take part in the festivities at Park Day."
2013 Park Day Beneficiaries
The list of Park Day's 2013 Beneficiaries includes: American Red Cross, Animal Rescue & Relief, Charleston Animal Society, Charleston Basket Brigade, Crisis Ministries, Daniel Island Animal Hospital On Wheels, Daniel Island Garden Club, Daniel Island Historical Society, Daniel Island Rotary, Daniel Island School PTA, East Cooper Community Outreach, No Kid Hungry, Holy Cross Church/Boy Scout Troop, Keep Charleston Beautiful, Keeper of the Wild, Families Helping Families, The Good Shepherd Club, The Philip Simmons Foundation, Inc. and YoungLife/Wyldlife.
Park Day takes place on Saturday, November 9 from 11 am to 4 pm at Governor's Park in the heart of downtown Daniel Island. Admission and parking are free. For additional details, visit www.danielislandparkday.com.
Photo Caption:
The Giant Mountain Slide at Park Day raised $1,500 for the Families Helping Families project in 2012, providing necessities and gifts to more than 60 families in need at the holidays.
Daniel Island
Charleston, South Carolina
