Stadium Drive Students Raise Funds to Benefit Meek's Park

Students from are taking on a unique project this year: They're adopting .

Meek's Park is a park in downtown Lake Orion that is operated by the Village. Patti Lareau, a third-grade teacher at Stadium Drive, said she didn't even know the park existed until recently when she was walking near the with her family. Since then, the Manager Paul Zelenak and Suzanne Perreault, executive director for the Downtown Development Authority, have taken Stadium Drive students on a tour of the park.

"We didn't even know the park existed because there isn't a sign for it on the main entrance-way on Broadway in downtown," Lareau said. "I mentioned the lack of signage to the parent of a student in my classroom who I knew worked with the DDA. She said that the DDA and parks department had developed a wish list for Meek's Park but lack of funding had put these items on the back burner."

Lareau talked with Stadium Drive principal John Blackstock about helping to fund a sign and other projects for the park. The annual Stadium Drive Dance-A-Thon last week became a fundraiser for Meek's Park renovations. In the past students have raised funds for charitable organizations such as Lighthouse of Oakland County.

"Past Dance-A-Thons have raised between $3,000 and $10,000, so we're hopeful for another super successful year," Lareau said.

Students have until March 23 to raise money for the cause. In addition to money raised, according to Lareau, the school received a $400 Lake Orion Community Schools Academic Service Learning Mini-Grant, which was made possible through designations from United Way of Southeastern Michigan.

Lareau noted that the DDA will be splitting the cost of the sign with Stadium Drive and that she expects Stadium Drive families will come together on a weekend in the spring to clean and provide necessary maintenance in the park. The grant received will fund a rain garden, which will also be planted in the spring.

"This is the first park that Stadium Drive Elementary School of the Arts has adopted and we are very excited about this community partnership," she said.

Joe Johnson of Orion Neighborhood Television submitted this video footage of the Dance-A-Thon.