KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The 2023 NFL Draft and Fan Experience might be in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri, but the NFL is also branching out, finding other ways to plant roots while in town.
"We are loving being in Kansas City, the sense of community here is just incredible," Susan Groh said.
It's in her name — Groh is the associate director of NFL Green, the leagues environmental program.
While in town, Groh is helping grow a green legacy.
"We have some great partners here today, we're planting trees to kick off all of our greening projects around the draft," Groh said.
NFL Green is giving neighbors 25 new reasons to love Dunbar Park.
"We had several events here in the summer and shade is just something we don't have and I'm looking forward to it," Marsha Persley-Allen said.
Persley-Allen lives in the neighborhood and grew up spending time at the park, knowing exactly what it needs when it comes to improvements..
"The school here, I went from kindergarten to 7th grade and so this park has always been special to me," Persley-Allen said.
The NFL kicked off draft week with the planting project at Dunbar Park, leaving both an economic and environmental impact on the city while in town.
"I think my favorite part so far has been talking to the neighbors," Groh said.
NFL Green teamed up with the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Parks, Bridging the Gap and many more organizations to help make the park a better place for people like Persley-Allen, who use it.
"It's amazing, I'm a die hard football fan, love them Chiefs." Persley-Allen said. "And the fact that the NFL chose our park to kick off this week, it's just exciting, this is just wonderful."
For 30 years, NFL Green has been getting its hands and the work won't stop at Dunbar Park.
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