CCGP is pleased to announce that the Culver City Parks FAN Club under its work/reward program will be volunteering at the 2012 Fiesta La Ballona. Culver High teacher Dan Phillips is currently working with the Culver City Parks Maintenance Department for his students to help improve our parks.

The Culver City Great Parks Association is actively seeking new CCGP Board members as well as residents from Culver City Park and Playground neighborhoods who want to be engaged in the best interests of their neighborhood park by joining a FAN Club. Details below in Park Neighborhoods.
Please email your good words, support, questions and comments to ccgreatparks@att.net and please visit www.culvercitygreatparks.org for more information.
Best regards,
Charles Deen, President (310) 559-1875 email: ccgreatparks@att.net
MAKING A DIFFERENCE AT VETERANS PARK
Friday, 4 December 2009 by Dan O'Brien, Founding President (serving from 2006 thru 2011)
KaBOOM! "It starts with a playground" Organization partners with Culver City Great Parks
Only adults could participate in build day (because of City liability issues), but much of our efforts in the Veterans Memorial Park playground were for kids... and moms... and dads... and, well, everyone. Around 200 community members, city staff & employees of the Wasserman Media Group pitched in and got dirty. During an amazing day, a playground was built, hundreds of square feet of garden was planted, picnic tables were refurbished and repainted, cubby holes were built for the teen center, a permanent bicycle rack was installed, the softball backstops were painted, and a mural was painted! Wow, did I say it was a busy day?
Thanks to the folks at KaBOOM! and the Wasserman Foundation, Culver City was given a grant to do a lot of much needed work to its busiest park. What a perfect example of the private sector, a city, and its residents collaborating to fulfill a dream. Culver City Great Parks Association played a vital role in participating in the grant request process, recruiting community members to participate, and ultimately getting our hands dirty - AND REVELING IN IT! ... and did our kids really, really want to be there and get dirty too ... you bet!

The playground was open for jumping, climbing, sliding, dangling and just plain having fun by Monday, December 7, 2009. Thanks to Culver City Great Parks board member, Holly Port, for the amazing pictures. Play! and Enjoy!

Parks Community and Mission Statements
Who We Are
The Culver City Great Parks Association (CCGP) is a community based fund-raising organization whose mission is to improve the physical appearance and functionality of our parks and playgrounds.
Here is a summary of Culver City Great Parks Association plans and programs for 2012 and beyond:
* FORMING FAN CLUBS FOR EACH OF OUR PARKS & PLAYGROUNDS *
FAN = Friends And Neighbors working together for providing representation
and direct neighborhood park and playground involvement
* "PUT CCGP ON THE MAP" WITH AD SPONSOR PROGRAM *
* WORKING WITH THE CULVER CITY PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
AND THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE *
* WORKING TO GROW OUR "RALPH'S COMMUNITY FUND" PROGRAM *
* BE INCLUSIVE WITH INVOLVING NEW CCGP BOARD MEMBERS *
Tax Status
The Culver City Great Parks Association (CCGP) is an IRS-qualified section 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization and a California public benefit corporation formed on March 29, 2001. CCGP is an FTB-qualified exempt organization under section 23701d of the California Revenue & Taxation Code. CCGP is duly registered and renewed with the California Attorney General's Registry of Charitable Trusts. CCGP files annual nonprofit business license renewals with the City of Culver City. Nonprofit organization EIN 95-4858767.

Contact
Charles Deen - President 310.559-1875 Fax.559-5992
ccgp information email ccgreatparks@att.net
Dan O'Brien - Founding President & Programs Advisor

donation mailing address - donations will be acknowledged for the purposes of qualifying your charitable tax deduction.
Culver City Great Parks Association
P.O. Box 1456, Culver City, CA 90232-1456

Mission
It is our intention to better the environment of the parks and playgrounds beginning with public interest and input, without straining the city budget. While we will not refuse financial assistance from the city, it is our goal to fund each project through federal and state grants, public and private donations, and organized fundraisers.
Community
With community involvement, from design, to budget, to completion, it is our belief that we will enhance our parks and playgrounds in a way that the residents of Culver City expect: in harmony with the neighborhoods, families and kids that Culver City parks and playgrounds serve.
Park Neighborhoods
CCGP is encouraging your active participation in helping to create Friends And Neighbors FAN Clubs and becoming directly involved with each of Culver City’s parks and playgrounds.
Parks/Neighborhoods: Blair Hills Park, Blanco Park, Carlson Park, Coombs Park, Culver City Park, Culver West Richard Alexander Park, El Marino/Sunkist Park, Fox Hills Park, Heritage Park, Laurel and Hardy Park, Lindberg Park, Media Park, Syd Kronethal/McManus Park, Tellefson Park and Veterans Memorial Park. Playgrounds: El Marino, El Rincon, Farragut, La Ballona, and Lin Howe Elementary Schools.
In an effort to energize community members to make their neighborhood park as great as you want it to be, Culver City Great Parks Association is asking you to become a part of your own FAN Club. Your Friends And Neighbors FAN Club will be a gateway for you to organize your friends and neighbors to meet and form a consensus on what you want to improve in your favorite park or playground. Then, you can use the CCGP IRS-approved, 501(c)(3) non-profit status to fundraise; as well as our relationship with the City of Culver City to implement the improvements you desire.
Organizational Achievements
December 2006 - CCGP Founding President Dan O'Brien makes a presentation to the Culver City Parks & Recreation Commission to publicly announce the formation of the Culver City Great Parks Association. The CCGP formation was greatly facilitated by the kind donations of an existing 501(c)(3) California public benefit corporation and over $1,000 in seed money. Nonprofit EIN 95-4858767.
August 2007 - CCGP holds its 1st fundraising effort from a Fiesta La Ballona booth which produced over $850 from T-shirt sales. Our website culvercitygreatparks.org was established.
September 2007 - The Culver City Observer provides a full-page advertisement in its 90th Culver City Anniversary Edition to display the Culver City Great Parks Mission Statement and to celebrate the youngest nonprofit organization in Culver City.
2007-2008 - CCGP leadership actively participates in the Culver City Parks & Recreation Master Plan public sessions and planning process.
June 2008 - Culver City Great Parks partners with Shane's Inspiritation in planning for an All Access Playground. Shane's requests that CCGP obtain an MOU agreement with the City of Culver City to proceed with fundraising and grant applications.
August 2008 - CCGP holds another fundraising effort from a booth at Fiesta La Ballona.
2009 - For Vets Park playground improvements, CCGP facilitiates charitable grant funding efforts and acts as fiscal sponsor for the Culver City Parks, Recreation and Community Service Department.
August 2009 - CCGP holds another fundraising effort from a booth at Fiesta La Ballona featuring Culver City Parks Map placemats.
December 2009 - CCGP partners with the KaBoom! "It starts with a Playgound" organization, the Wasserman Foundation and the City of Culver City to help create the new playground at Veterans Memorial Park. CCGP leadership actively participates in playground planning and the selection of equipment. CCGP worked with donor community to enhance the playground dedication celebration.
May 2010 - CCGP becomes accepted member #92257 in the Ralph's Community Fund whereby grocery shoppers may enroll to support CCGP park improvement efforts with a small percentage of their purchases by using their Ralph's Rewards Card and doing the sign-in at www.ralphs.com and enrolling to support Culver City Great Parks.
June 2010 - Culver City Great Parks holds fun jazz 'n dinner event at Kay 'N Dave's Cantina.
August 2010 - CCGP proudly displays its Culver City Parks Map banner at Fiesta La Ballona and introduces new programs with the FAN Club and Ralph's Community Fund participation.
November 2010 - Culver City Great Parks holds fun 'n dine week at Kay 'N Dave's Cantina.
July 2011 - Founding President Dan O'Brien is appointed the Executive Vice President of the Culver City Education Foundation. Dan, thanks for your five years of service to the Culver City parks community! Your legacy is the "what a difference!" Vets Park Playground as a such great example of what can be accomplished at Culver City playgrounds. From all the kids, moms and dads, a great big THANK YOU for making the Vets Park Playground GREAT !
January 2012 - The Culver City Times features Culver City Great Parks Association accomplishments in a great community news article and adds CCGP as a member !!

Design by Dan O'Brien
We are the Voice for ...
... all the kids, moms and dads who enjoy their family time at Culver City Parks in a clean, safe and fun environment ...