Nothing to do in rural communities?

Nothing to do, nowhere to go!

It's a common refrain from teens in small rural communities.

It's been seven years since a group of disgruntled teens in Cavendish complained about the lack of recreation in their Trinity Bay community.

Their concerns didn't go unheeded.

Since that time the community has come together: fundraisers have been held and money has come in to clear and level land, pave a court for basketball/ball hockey and put in a soccer field.

Thanks to the efforts of the CARE (Cavendish Activities and Recreational Environment), playground equipment has also been purchased and money has been used to beautify the local swimming area with grass, picnic tables and swings.

When the teens complained about the lack of services at a public Local Service District (LSD) meeting, Kristi Green stepped up to the plate to serve on the Cavendish Youth Services Council (recently renamed CARE) which was established to assess the needs of the community's youth.

"I thought this would be a wonderful development for this community. I had completed a recreation course a few years prior so this was definitely something of interest to me," Green says.

Over the past several years, volunteers on the committee have spent much time fundraising and completing funding applications.

"It seemed to be a long time coming, but finally last summer, after six years of planning and fundraising, the groundwork was started and now this year we have a large grass playing field, an asphalt court and a small playground, with plans to expand in the near future," Green says.

She is proud that, with the exception of a $1,000 donation from the local MHA, all the funding for the project came from within the community.

"This community has a wonderful way of coming together to support a cause," she says.

The committee also hosts community events for people of all ages. Activities include a winter fun day, Canada Day activities, Halloween and Christmas events, and a sleepover at the community centre for children.

"We had over 60 kids at our last sleepover. It was a blast," Green says.

The efforts of the entire community have not gone unnoticed.

"This year, we have received approximately $6,000 in government funding for programming, which we are well on the way to offering the community," Green says.

The money will allow the committee to offer activities, many of which will be directly related to physical fitness and healthy living.

The CARE committee has had a huge positive effect on the community by providing an outdoor facility for community events and recreational programming.

Before a public outdoor space for such activities came to fruition, Green says, the committee relied on the generosity of residents to offer their private property for planned events.

That just wasn't acceptable, she says.

"People should not have to do that. But they did so willingly, because those are the kind of people who live here in Cavendish."

The committee's biggest fundraiser continues to be its recycling project.

"This not only benefits us, but we feel it provides a wonderful service to the community as well," Green says.

Looking back to when she first began volunteering with the committee, Green says she'd only recently married and didn't have any children.

"I now have three beautiful children who will definitely enjoy this area for years to come. I think that all children should have access to such a facility, without having to drive long distances."

Volunteering

Jenny Jackson has been volunteering with the CARE committee for six years.

Since its beginnings, the committee has been determined to provide a recreational area for young and old alike, she says, as Cavendish residents are focused on improving the health of the entire community.

"Along with our strong volunteer partnerships we have been able to make that happen."

Jackson says she became involved because she knew it would take a community effort to bring about change.

"I love seeing the progression... a piece of land with alders and small bushes is now becoming a beautiful playground for my son and all the other children and residents of Cavendish to use."

Jackson, who is also vice chair for the Local Service District and a member of the Cavendish Beach Festival, says she gets much satisfaction from her volunteer work.

"Volunteering provides great rewards that only those of us who do it can speak of," she says.

Green agrees that volunteering is a way to enrich the lives of many, including the person who wears the volunteer hat.

"I enjoy going over to work on the field. All the hustle and bustle, the kids running around playing as well as helping out to get the work done is rewarding... I think, right now, the most rewarding thing for me is seeing those teenagers who first came to the LSD - now seven years later - are making good use of the basketball court. That puts a huge smile on my face," Green says.

danette@nl.rogers.com