COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Willie O’Ree, for whom the event is named and who is general manager for the competition, is a Canadian. He was the first black player in the National Hockey League and played for the Boston Bruins. O’Ree is currently director of youth development for NHL Diversity, an arm of the League created to introduce the sport to more minorities and to increase minority representation in the League.

“The NHL makes this exciting competition as close to the real thing as possible-- like calling out the names of the players at the start of the game,” said Amy Amador, Program Director for Clark Park Coalition. “This is the seventh year in a row that Clark Park has sent an Empowerment Zone resident to this national event.”

"I felt happy to be chosen for the Willie O'Ree weekend”, Alejandro stated. “It was very exciting to meet the NHL players and play in the All Star game and I was lucky to get an assist. There were players from all over the country and Canada and I was proud to represent Detroit, Clark Park and my school."

Alejandro was nominated then selected to go to the event based on grades, skills and citizenship, Amador indicated. “Candidates don’t have to be all-A students”, she explains, but strong athletic skills are not enough. They also have to keep their grades up and show evidence of good citizenship. We can always count on Alejandro to go that extra mile whether its getting the equipment ready, cleaning up after a game, or helping out the workers.”

Alejandro attended the event with his mother, Ofelia, and his brother, Jose.

“We continue to be impressed with the quality of recreational and educational programming that the Coalition provides to southwest Detroit residents and the way they have leveraged their resources through partnerships and other creative means”, said Larry Givens, Executive Director of the Empowerment Zone Development Corporation (EZDC).

With $200,000 from the EZDC, the organization engaged 1,555 residents in recreational and educational programs during the first year it received Empowerment Zone funding and 463 more thus far in this year. Aside from hockey, the Coalition’s sports and recreational programs include open ice-skating, golf, tennis, baseball, soccer and fitness training. Several, such as volleyball, family ice-skating and indoor board games, are intergenerational. “From toddlers to seniors, we bring families and residents together”, Amador states.

Empowerment Zone funding has also made possible the addition of two play-scapes in the Park.

“One of the things we look for in selecting groups to be funded is how they fill existing gaps in services”, Givens states. The Coalition’s programming, for example, more than compensates for the recent closing of the area YMCA, a major area institution that was a southwest fixture for decades.”

Under an expanded partnership with the city, the Coalition has painted the Clark Park Recreation Center and made infrastructure improvements including electrical wiring and cabling.

A partnership with The Ford Motor Company and the United Auto Workers (UAW) makes available unassigned workers to help with building and improvement projects. These workers have volunteered their time to complete improvements to the outdoor ice rink and build new benches. Working alongside community volunteers, they have also helped to install two indoor water fountains and completed ice compressor building renovations.

A separate Ford connection is the Ford Hispanic Network Group. Jim Diez, chairman of the group, has engaged more than 110 Ford employees in clean-up, painting, gardening and mural projects. “We adopted the park six years ago”, he says, “ and it has been wonderful to be a part of its transformation from just another down-at-the heels urban space to the beautiful site we see today.”

What is the larger impact of the Clark Park Coalition’s work? Executive Director Anthony Benavides comments: “Our work is helping to support families and our community as we offer unique, diverse recreational programs, mentoring and exposure.” He notes that one of the tennis instructors, for instance, is an African-American, who is a certified professional tennis instructor.

“Through our programs, Benavides continues, ”We are teaching young people more than skills. We are imparting sound values such as teamwork, good sportsmanship and fair play. And, by upgrading our community’s environment, we are seeing a renewed sense of neighborhood pride.”