Advisory board names Tomorrow's Rainbow and Food for the Poor as Parkland Dash and Pumpkin Patch beneficiaries

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for the City of Parkland voted to designate Tomorrow's Rainbow as the primary beneficiary of the Parkland Dash and Food for the Poor as the primary beneficiary for the Pumpkin Patch, with Coats Plus Foundation and Fish Mending Nets named as alternates.

Committee member (first referenced as "Committee member") made the motion to select Tomorrow's Rainbow and Food for the Poor and said, "I personally would move that the beneficiaries be tomorrow's rainbow and food for the poor, and then maybe we can come back in May for the alternates." A voice vote followed; several members recorded "aye" and the motion carried.

Felicia Trainor, assistant director of parks and recreation, said the city maintains a master list of City of Parkland–approved charities and explained that selections historically prioritize organizations with a Parkland connection or those that can supply volunteers for event-day duties such as packet pickup, parking and distribution. Trainor also said the event sponsorship packet is structured so that if a beneficiary secures an event sponsor, the organization receives a larger portion of that sponsorship (she estimated an example split of about 60% to the organization when it secures sponsors).

Board members debated whether to make the selection at the March meeting to give nonprofits more lead time for marketing and volunteer coordination or to table the decision until May to allow more outreach and review. Christine Garcia, senior director of operational services and projects, recommended tabling as an option but noted staff’s preference to finalize beneficiaries earlier to begin contracting and promotion.

Several board members raised the value of choosing organizations that actively engage at events rather than only receiving proceeds. One member recommended selecting groups that give community members a chance to hear beneficiary stories at the Dash; staff confirmed the city offers each beneficiary an opportunity to speak before the run.

Next steps: staff will contact the named organizations to begin contracting and confirm volunteer commitments and event logistics. The board noted alternates were designated to ensure coverage if a chosen organization is unavailable on event dates.