In 2023, Niche.com rated Dublin as one of the top 20 places to raise a family in Ohio. I believe this ranking is well-deserved, and I feel lucky to have been a Dublin kid myself.
Although a lot has changed over the years, there is one thing that hasn’t: the promise made to parents that their community is intent on helping children build a bright future. That includes teaching them the importance of community service.
Service Scavenger Hunt
Photo courtesy of Maisie Fitzmaurice
Service Scavenger Hunt
On Sept. 30, I had the privilege of attending a Kids in Dublin Service (K.I.D.S.) event held by the City of Dublin and the Dublin Arts Council. This program, which began in 2013, hosts kid-friendly service projects throughout the year for children and their parents, introducing young people to the world of philanthropy.
First, we gathered as a group outside the Dublin Retirement Village around 9:30 a.m. City of Dublin Outreach and Engagement Coordinator Sarah Esala, alongside Ava Truman Morgan, public art manager at the DAC, stood smiling and welcomed families as they arrived.
Each kid received a paper bag and we began to walk toward Dublin’s M.L. “Red” Trabue Nature Reserve. Their task was to collect materials such as sticks, leaves, acorns and tree nuts to later be used for a boat craft and pick up any trash around the park.
Using gloves, the kids gathered wrappers, empty plastic bottles and other waste to dispose of as they scoured the side of the trail for materials.
We made our way toward The Boat in the Field, a sculpture by Ilan Averbuch, which was unveiled in 2023.
“Public art can inspire us to think differently about our environment, our neighbors and how we interact with the world,” Morgan tells me. “Youth bring new ideas and perspectives to the table, which we find inspiring, so we love learning alongside them.”
Cultivating Community Across Generations
Photo courtesy of Maisie Fitzmaurice
Kids at retirement village
Back at the retirement village, it was time to use the inspiration derived from the sculpture to make boats. These boats would be released into the stream behind the retirement village during Night of Illumination, an Alzheimer’s awareness event which took place later that evening.
We were told a few of the residents would join us once they finished a wheelchair volleyball game. We were also told the game gets very competitive.
When the residents entered the room and saw the children creating, their faces lit up. As if they were kids themselves seeing other kids on the playground, they eagerly joined the fun.
Though separated by generations, the children and residents worked together effortlessly. This symbiotic relationship was truly heartwarming to witness.
Esala believes that in order to keep a sense of community thriving, it’s beneficial for the older and younger generations to interact.
“It’s always a joy when we see this generational service come together and see our community be together with people who maybe don’t run across each other that often in their work or schooling, but can come to a place like this and really find a way to bond with one another, learn from one another and enjoy one another,” she says.
Lifetime of Giving Back
Photos courtesy of Maisie Fitzmaurice
Student volunteer
I asked the parents why they decided to attend and they all answered similarly: to show their kids the importance of community service in a way they would enjoy.
One father shared how his son grew up participating in this program and later became a teen leader, assisting the staff. He has stayed passionate about service work and is still spending time giving back when he can, even as a college student.
Esala hopes stories like this one become common in Dublin.
“They (kids) become engaged in their schools and they go on to lead community engagement, supporting others within their community and their society,” Esala says. “What they’re doing is important, and they take that along with them, and in their journey they find ways to make meaning and provide opportunities to others.”
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Keep a look out for more service opportunities from K.I.D.S. coming throughout this year.
Parents interested in registering their child for a K.I.D.S. project can submit an application on the City of Dublin website at www.dublinohiousa.gov/volunteer-service-opportunities.
