RFK Campus: May 2021 Newsletter

Kennedy Family Gathers to Remember Maeve and Gideon

On the brisk sunny afternoon of April 3rd, members of the Kennedy family gathered at Gideon’s Garden at the RFK Campus, to commemorate and celebrate the lives of two of their own – Maeve Kennedy McKean and Gideon Joseph McKean, mother and son, who were drowned April 2nd in a boating accident last year. The garden was named “Gideon’s Garden” to honor both of them.

Ms. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Maeve’s mother and the eldest of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel’s eleven children, coordinated the remembrance celebration and enlisted the assistance of community resident, activist, and keeper of Gideon’s Garden (previously named Peace Park) Skip Strobel. Everyone invited was asked to bring a flower to plant in the garden.

In the shadow of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, the Kennedy family shared reflections about Maeve and Gideon, a family friend sang Ave Maria and a beautiful rendition of Hallelujah as birds chirped, children played, and dogs scampered about. At the end of the service guests planted flowers in Gideon’s garden before departing for a repast at The Fields at RFK Campus Celebration Pavilion.

Maeve Kennedy McKean served as the Kennedy family liaison for the redevelopment of the RFK Campus. She was excited to participate in planning for an RFK Democracy Center at the Campus where research may be done on Robert F. Kennedy and his principles on human rights.

Rolling to Remember to stage at RFK Stadium Parking Lot 8 on May 30

The 2021 Rolling to Remember Demonstration Ride organized by AMVETS will pre-stage in Parking Lot 8 at RFK Stadium on Sunday, May 30 before riding to and around the National Mall. This demonstration aims to raise awareness of the nation’s more than 80,000 Missing In Action servicemembers and Prisoners of War, as well as awareness of the mental health crisis taking the lives of some 20 veterans a day by suicide. Expected attendance is projected at 13,000-15,000.

Event activity at the RFK Campus is scheduled as follows:

Saturday, May 29

9:00 am-8:00 pm:          Equipment load in (e.g., cones, barricade, message boards) and meetings

Sunday, May 30

5:00 am - 7:00 am:        Lot team arrival/final prep

7:00 am - 11:00 am:      Lot 8 (staging lot) open for arrival of bikes

11:00 am - 11:45 am:    Opening Ceremony

12:00 pm - 4:00 pm:      Bikes leave RFK Lot 8 for Rolling to Remember Demonstration Ride

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm:       Event breakdown and move-out begins at Lot 8

The Metropolitan Police Department advises the community to expect intermittent, temporary and/or rolling road closures on May 30 for the duration of the event to include sections of Southeast Boulevard, 395-W, Maine Avenue SW, Independence Avenue, Constitution Avenue, and Pennsylvania Avenue. Intersections and side streets around those roads are subject to periodic closures as well. See full route details HERE.

The demonstration will begin departing RFK Parking Lot 8 at noon on May 30. The departure is expected to last about five hours.

Only properly licensed two- and three-wheeled vehicles will be permitted into the staging lot. Only vehicles that come through the official staging area will be permitted onto the ride route. Helmets are required for all riders and passengers. Riders are asked to refrain from driving through Washington’s residential neighborhoods while heading to RFK Stadium. Firearms, to include functional and non-functional replicas, are prohibited on the RFK Stadium Campus and should not be brought to this event.

If you have questions, feel free to contact us HERE.

Sincerely,

RFK Campus

Inaugural Anacostia Green Boat Program Launched at Kingman + Heritage Islands

On April 22, 2021, Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrated Earth Day by announcing the launch of the Anacostia Green Boat Program at Ward 7’s Kingman + Heritage Islands. The free program is hosted by the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) and is the first of its kind in the District. The program is held on Saturdays throughout the summer and allows “citizen scientists” to get hands-on boating experience while they collect marine debris from the Anacostia River. The trash is then weighed, counted, and measured to provide critical data needed for the DOEE to increase awareness and influence policy to continue protecting the land. The Kingman + Heritage Islands were formed over 100 years ago in the Anacostia River and is home to over 100 different species of a variety of wildlife. In 2018, portions of the Islands were designated Critical Wildlife Areas, restricting the lands to environmental, educational, and recreational purposes only.   

• Sign-up to reserve a boat to participate in the Anacostia Green Boats Program
• Learn more about Kingman + Heritage Islands at their next community meeting
• Follow DOEE on Twitter for more information on their energy & environmental efforts

RFK Campus Updates

More play is on the way! And yes, it’s already time to start planning for the fall season at The Fields. 



Fall Permit Window. The window will be open from June 1 to 10 for all fall amateur sports, special events, and pavilion reservation requests. The fall season runs September 5 – November 27.  



Submit requests for field space through the online booking form. Celebration Pavilion requests can be made through the separate pavilion reservation form. The pavilion can be reserved for safe, outdoor parties, meetings, classes, and other events. (We even had an orchestra rehearsal!)



Spring & Summer Permits. We continue to accept permit applications for spring and summer on a rolling basis. Requests must be received at least 14 days in advance.



More Play! The Mayor announced last week that nearly all restrictions on public and commercial activity, including capacity limits, types of activities, and time restrictions, will be lifted on May 21, with the remaining restrictions to be lifted on June 11. 



Starting May 21, permit holders and informal groups using fields during Community Open Play can play soccer, flag football, lacrosse, and field hockey. Contact football and rugby may be able to resume play starting June 11. All organized activities require a permit.



Masks Still Required. Patrons using the fields must wear masks at all times, especially while playing on the fields. Adults and older children must continue to wear masks in the playground and adjacent seating areas. We encourage you to get vaccinated!



Subject to Change. All guidance and rules are subject to change based on DC public health guidelines and orders from the Mayor’s Office. Check the #playitsafe web page frequently and watch for additional email updates. 





If you have any questions about the application or permitting process, please email Rhiannon at admin@cryspdc.org. 

East of the River Boys and Girls Steelband Welcomes Spring with a PANtastic Spring Festival

On Saturday, April 24, 2021, the East of the River Boys and Girls Steelband presented their PANtastic Spring Festival at The Fields at RFK Campus Celebration Pavilion. This was the group’s first time performing together in person since the global pandemic began in March 2020. The youth were exuberant to see one another and equally enthused to perform in front of a live audience.

A two-time Events DC Community Grant award recipient (FY2020 – Cycle 2; FY2019 – Cycle 2), the Steelband program is a multi-disciplinary arts training and youth development program targeting adolescents 10 to 18 years of age. Currently, the Steelband is comprised of 13 youth who are perfecting their skills and abilities in steelpan music.

Check out a highlight of the East of the River Boys and Girls Steelband’s PANtastic Spring Festival HERE. 

Learn about reserving the Celebration Pavilion HERE.

Sitar Arts Center Selected to Share Insights on Successes and Challenges as an Arts Organization of Color

In March 2021, Events DC Community Grant awardee Sitar Arts Center (FY2021 – Cycle 1) was one of 21 organizations featured in a new report, The Alchemy of High-Performing Arts Organizations, Part II: A Spotlight on Organizations of Color. The Sitar Arts Center was chosen to speak about the reasons for their success and the unique challenges they face as an organization that provides after-school, Saturday, and summer art programs for DC’s youth born into a world of unequal access to opportunity. They discussed specific challenges in 2020 due to COVID-19 including taking their 20th Anniversary Gala virtual, as well as effectively pivoting their classes to online programming by providing their students with devices and supplies. So far in 2021, they have been able to bring back popular in-person programs such as Camp Sitar, S.E.A.L. (Sitar's Emerging Arts Leaders) Teen Program and a variety of early childhood arts classes.

Read the full report - The Alchemy of High-Performing Arts Organizations, Part II: A Spotlight on Organizations of Color

Watch videos from the 20th Anniversary Gala and Events

View full schedule of programs available this summer

For WTEF, Tennis is More Than a Game

For 65 years, the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), an Events DC Community Grant awardee (FY2021, Cycle 1), has serviced young people across the District through their after-school and summer programs. Based in Ward 7 with East and West DC Campuses, WTEF offers outdoor (in-person) tennis and academic programming at three Washington, D.C. locations to DC Public School (DCPS) 1st through 5th grade students. The mission of the WTEF is to empower youth in underserved areas of the District to reach their highest potential through academic success and exposure to the lifelong skills involved in playing the sport of tennis.

During this unprecedented time of the Covid-19 global pandemic, the efforts of the WTEF have not waivered. WTEF after-school programs continued throughout 2020 and well into 2021 with one-on-one virtual tutoring and group distance learning sessions, as well as outdoor tennis instructional clinics.

To ensure the utmost attention to precautionary measures, WTEF facilities and programming underwent a full restructuring in 2020. Hybrid programing will continue through spring and summer of 2021. Summer 2021 Camps start June 21.