New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Southcoast Health recently donated $15,000 to Friends of Buttonwood Park to support the construction of three new basketball courts. Their contribution to the all-volunteer nonprofit has earned them a Champion sponsorship title, which includes partners who have made a $15,000–20,000 donation to the cause.
Construction for the new basketball courts began this spring and Friends hope to complete the project by early August. The group’s efforts spring from their Buttonwood on the Move initiative, which aims to encourage exercise in the park and reduce obesity rates in SouthCoast Massachusetts. The group chose to rebuild the basketball courts, which have not been updated in over 30 years, as their first fitness-themed project.
“A vital part of our mission at Southcoast is to improve the health and wellness of our communities,” said Keith Hovan, President and CEO of Southcoast Health. “Our parks, particularly our urban parks, provide opportunities for local residents to take part in free, healthy activities. Parks are a prescription for the community’s good health and we are proud to support these much needed renovations at Buttonwood Park.”
Friends of Buttonwood Park president Anne Eades remarked, “We are so grateful for the generous support of Southcoast Health. We started Buttonwood on the Move to promote fitness, so it’s wonderful to partner with a group like Southcoast, who shares our goal of making our community healthier—and happier.”
The organization has raised additional funds through in-kind and monetary donations from various groups and individuals within the community. To learn more about Buttonwood on the Move, including donation and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.buttonwoodpark.org or email us at friends@buttonwoodpark.org.
