The Beatty Community Center is a familiar place for Joe Renza and the Blue Jackets.

In 2019, the CBJ fan development specialist, who was part of the organization at that time, actively participated in the construction of a playground at the Near East Side park. This park was one of the eight team-branded playgrounds established across Columbus, thanks to the generous funding from the CBJ Foundation.

After a span of five years, Renza returned to the park on a Friday to participate in the Blue Jackets’ yearly Staff Volunteer Day, which was organized in collaboration with Schneider Downs. This joint effort with Columbus Recreation and Parks involved a beautification project, which was one of seven community service initiatives conducted across Central Ohio.

On a sunny Friday morning, employees of the Blue Jackets ventured out into the humid weather at Beatty Community Center. Their mission was to clean up litter, refresh the mulch, and provide some much-needed care to a facility they had constructed five years earlier.

Renza expressed the importance of being able to leave the office and engage in a beautification project, regardless of the scorching weather. This sentiment is particularly significant for staff members who had contributed to the construction of a playground in 2019. It is beneficial for them to witness the progress and development of the playground. Personally, Renza was part of the team involved in the project in 2019, and they believe that the playground’s appearance remains as impressive as it was back then.

The employees’ reunion at the park exemplified the Blue Jackets’ unwavering dedication to improving Columbus. This commitment was further demonstrated by the organization’s members, who dedicated over 4,700 hours to community service last year.

The #CBJ Foundation has been hard at work!
@dylantyrer spreads the word and the mulch in CBJ Today, presented by @OhioHealth pic.twitter.com/ZJU1AIDsmR

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 12, 2024

Brian Henry, the dedicated playground maintenance worker responsible for over 400 parks under the care of Columbus Recreation and Parks, warmly embraced the arrival of Renza and his comrades from the Blue Jackets.

Henry expressed gratitude for the volunteer work done by the Columbus Blue Jackets, stating that they have a team of four individuals responsible for maintaining all the playgrounds, including the basketball and tennis courts. He mentioned that their assistance allows them to focus on other tasks, and that both the city of Columbus and the local community appreciate their efforts. Henry concluded by describing their work as truly remarkable.

On Friday, the employees of the Blue Jackets dedicated a total of 130 hours to various community service activities. Apart from their work at the Beatty Community Center, the CBJ employees also participated in similar beautification projects at Camp Lazarus, the Boy Scouts of America facility. Additionally, they made preparations for a back-to-school rally at the Van Buren Center of the YMCA, organized rooms for new families at the Ronald McDonald House, sorted donations at the YWCA Family Center, created welcoming banners for camp attendees and wrote notes of encouragement to campers who don’t receive letters from home for the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. They also assembled welcome kits for A Kid Again.

Ivy Johnson, Blue Jackets manager of community partnerships, expressed gratitude for the immense support received from the community. She emphasized the significance of showing our support in return. “Our aim today is to serve as many individuals as possible within a single day. Our community has been incredibly supportive, and it is only fitting for us to reciprocate by providing assistance and giving back in every possible way.”

Furthermore, Schneider Downs, a corporate partner, joined the Blue Jackets in their community efforts by sending employees to assist with the YMCA’s Van Buren Center rally preparation project on Friday.

Last week, the staff of CBJ partner Schneider Downs and Stinger joined forces to participate in the Blue Jackets’ staff volunteer day. They dedicated their time to work at the YMCA’s Van Buren Shelter.

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Lindsay Sherrill, marketing manager at Schneider Downs’ Columbus office, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to partner with the Columbus Blue Jackets as first-year sponsors. To strengthen this collaboration, they decided to organize a staff volunteer day. Sherrill explained that Schneider Downs is committed to actively engaging with the community and supporting various organizations. Consequently, participating in this event felt like the perfect way for them to contribute.

After everything was said and done, just a couple of hours from everyone’s schedule resulted in a significant impact on various locations within the Columbus community.

According to Carolyn Slebodnik, administrative program director at the Van Buren Center, volunteers play a crucial role in our organization. We thoroughly enjoy collaborating with the community and forming partnerships with various groups, such as the Blue Jackets. By involving them in our work, they contribute to making a meaningful difference as well.

Blue Jackets journalism intern Kennedy Rehklau contributed to this article.