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THE MINI.[The Big Event 2024]
THAT'S RIGHT.IT'S THE BIG EVENT BACK FOR THE SEVENTH YEAR IN A ROW TO COME TO THE RESCUE OF HUNDREDS OF GRAND PRAIRIE RESIDENTS IN NEED OF BIG HELP AROUND THE HOUSE AND IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'RE KIND OF MOVING IT ALL AROUND TO THE FRONT AND AS ALWAYS, THE MASSIVE ONE DAY CITYWIDE SPRING CLEANING INITIATIVE.
ALSO BROUGHT OUT HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS FROM SEVERAL CITY DEPARTMENTS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, CIVIC GROUPS, NONPROFITS, CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.
SPREAD OUT AT SCORES OF DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AND EAST TO WEST, TAKING ON ANY NUMBER OF CHORES FROM CLEANUPS AND GETTING RID OF GARBAGE AND WASTE TO YARD WORK AND GARDENING TO A FRESH COAT OF PAINT.
BASICALLY ANYTHING TO HELP NEIGHBORS WHO AREN'T ABLE TO DO IT FOR THEMSELVES.
LIKE LONGTIME GRAND PRAIRIE RESIDENT, BETTY HASTY, A WIDOW AND FOUR TIME BIG EVENT BENEFICIARY WHO SAYS SHE'S NOT SURE WHAT SHE WOULD DO WITHOUT IT.
Y'ALL WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO DIG ME OUT FROM WEEDS AND THIS SORT OF STUFF WITH ALL THESE TREES AND EVERYTHING.
SO IT JUST, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME BECAUSE I WANT TO KEEP MY HOME LIFE LIKE THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, AND MEMORY OF MY HUSBAND AND, AND OUR ASSOCIATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE LIKE MISS BETTY THAT, UH, NEED JUST A LITTLE HELP.
AND, UH, WE HAVE THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE HEART IN GRAND PRAIRIE TO SERVE OTHERS.
IT WAS MISS GEORGIA THAT ORIGINALLY BROUGHT THE BIG EVENT IDEA TO THE CITY, INSPIRED, SHE SAYS, BY HER GRANDSON.
THEN A STUDENT AT TEXAS A AND M, WHERE IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1982 AND HAS BEEN AN ANNUAL RITE OF SPRING EVER SINCE.
AS A RESULT, GRAND PRAIRIE BECAME THE FIRST MUNICIPALITY IN THE NATION TO ADOPT THE BIG EVENT CONCEPT AND TO CARRY ON ITS MISSION, SAYING THANK YOU BY GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS GIVEN TO YOU.
I THINK GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT, WHETHER YOU'RE DOING IT AS A TEACHER, I'M DOING IT IN EDUCATION EVERY DAY, OR MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HANDS-ON AND HELPING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE WORK TOGETHER TO UPLIFT EACH OTHER.
IT LITERALLY FILLS US WITH JOY, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF COME INTO SOMEONE'S LIFE, SOMEONE WHO WE DON'T KNOW, AND SHOW THEM THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT CARE.
WE'RE A CITY ON THE RISE IN EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE, BUT I THINK THE BEST WAY IS WE'RE A CITY THAT TAKES CARE OF EACH OTHER AND LOVES TO SERVE AND DO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE THAT? YOU CAN'T PUT A NUMBER ON IT.
YOU CAN'T PUT A, UH, IT'S JUST A FEELING, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD HELPING NEIGHBOR.
OH, THIS YEAR'S BIG EVENT IN GRAND PRAIRIE SENT OVER 1500 VOLUNTEERS TO MORE THAN A HUNDRED DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.