Murphy Park became a little cleaner last week, courtesy of Samsung.
Taylor’s Samsung Austin Semiconductor interns volunteered at Murphy Park Wednesday, June 28. The intern team picked up trash and painted over handrails and graffiti.
“There is nothing more fulfilling than giving back to your community by leveraging your own personal skills,” said Michele Glaze, Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s Head of Communications and Community Affairs. “In this case, it was with sweat equity. They’re out there picking things, pulling things and moving things. That is great.”
All 24 of the Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s interns were present at the park. The interns consist of rising seniors and recent graduates from Taylor High School.
Interns can specialize in different departments, including engineering, environment health and safety, information technology and communications. The internship is a six-week, paid program that runs throughout the summer.
While volunteering at Murphy Park, the intern team wore green shirts that read “Samsung Gives” on the front. Ever since the internship program began last year, coordinators of the internship have made an initial effort to find opportunities to volunteer in the Taylor community.
“Samsung has committed to make a difference for Taylor and the citizens of Taylor,” Glaze said. “Beautifying a great park like Murphy Park is just an honor. It was an honor to have our Taylor interns, who grew up there and went to school there, give back there.”
The interns are encouraged to volunteer because of a companywide program called volunteer time off. Samsung employees receive 16 hours of paid time off that are meant to be used by employees to volunteer at a charity of their choice.
On Monday, July 10, the interns will volunteer at Shepherd’s Heart.
Glaze said Samsung wants to leverage its resources to benefit the Taylor community.
“Because the community is benefitting us,” Glaze said. “We’re going to have our employees live, work and be members of the community. We want to be successful and we want our community to be successful.”
Joining Samsung was the city’s Parks and Rec Department and other members of the Taylor community. Wednesday served as a citywide Murphy Park Cleanup volunteer opportunity.
The city said while the cleanup was not specifically intended to make Murphy Park ready for the Fourth of July festivities, it was an added benefit. The city hosts multiple cleanups throughout the year.
“The city of Taylor is grateful to the Samsung volunteers and all of the members of the community for coming out to pick up trash, clean up graffiti and ensure that Murphy Park continues to be a great place for Taylor families and visitors to enjoy the summer,” said Taylor’s Communications Director Stacey Osborne. “It will really help set the stage for the Fourth of July activities.”
