Community Corner

Ford Motor Co. Volunteers Build New Playground at Maybury Farm

The group of more than 15 volunteers in Northville was one of a few participating in an Accelerated Action Day.

On a typical work day, Jim Dana works on the Ford Motor Co.'s transmission prototype operations in Livonia.

Tuesday was not a typical work day.

Dana and about 15 other volunteers from Ford spent the day at building a playground, giving back to the community.

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"It's important because you create a relationship with the community and create a relationship with the customer," Dana said.

Some of the volunteers included mechanics, engineers, designers and managers.

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"It's a real mixed bag of talents," he said.

Shari Peters of the Northville Community Foundation, which operates the farm, said Ford has had a long-standing volunteer relationship with Maybury Farm.

The playground will be ready for use today, she said. It includes wooden trains, a wagon and other farm-themed playground equipment.

Eric Mitchell, with Ford Public Affairs, explained that volunteering is an every day part of the Ford mantra–but Global Caring Week is when efforts are really stepped up. The Northville group was one of 42 Accelerated Action Day Ford projects happening Tuesday, with almost 500 volunteers throughout the U.S. participating. Some other projects in the Detroit area took place in and Farmington.

"It's about community building," Mitchell explained.


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