State of service: Helping hands labor in California
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An estimated 60,000 to 70,000 California Church members joined for the second annual Helping Hands Service Day throughout the state on Saturday, May 8.
The event was very successful, according to Kathy Marler, one of several Church public affairs representatives who provided information for news coverage of the massive service project. She said members painted back stops, buildings and fences; cleared brush; planted trees and flowers; removed graffiti; and cleaned up beaches and parks, all to make the Golden State shine. The projects covered forests, deserts and coastline.
The California State Assembly issued a proclamation thanking the volunteers throughout the state who worked on projects and proclaimed May 8, 2010, Mormon Helping Hands Day. The proclamation was accepted by Elder Frank Trythall, Area Seventy, and Bill Marble, one of the co-chairmen for the event.
Also recognizing the day with letters of thanks were California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and California State Parks Director Ruth Coleman.
Almost all of California's 157 stakes participated in the event. They included stakes in all major California centers from the San Francisco Bay area and north, to San Diego on the south. Families, Scout troops, mothers with babies in carriers and seniors brought hoes, shovels and gloves to beautify local, county, regional and state parks.
In a letter sent to California stake presidents prior to the service day, Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy invited all to participate saying, "Mormon Helping Hands provides a wonderful opportunity to render meaningful community service. That service will be an expression of love for the Savior and for our neighbors."
The service day was focused on "renewing California parks," said Kathy Bence, another public affairs representative.
She said U.S. Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, a Church member who was at the Castaic Lake Recreation Area in northern Santa Clarita Valley, expressed his thoughts on the efforts.
"It's so important for us all to take pride in our communities and help make a difference within them," he said. "This particular event, 'Mormon Helping Hands,' historically brings in hundreds upon hundreds of volunteers for the sake of the greater good; it's impressive.
"With everyone working together on painting, planting and other improvements, not only does it make a difference, but it saves a great deal of money by way of volunteers' time and they are to be thanked for all their great efforts."
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa also was complimentary of the service efforts, according to Sister Bence. He said, "Helping your neighbors and improving the place where you live is what creates a sense of community. I am pleased to see so many Angelenos committed to service and giving back to our community, helping make Los Angeles the world class city it is."
Many other community and state government officials and civic leaders expressed appreciation for the work done on "Mormon Helping Hands Day."
In one of the more distinctive projects, members of the Monterey California Stake showed up with their families and with tools of all types and provided extensive maintenance to the City of Monterey's San Carlos Cemetery, according to stake member Thomas S. Parry.
Working closely with the local Catholic diocese, he said the effort represented a major outreach of brotherhood with not only the Catholic community, but also the entire city of Monterey. Church members painted fences, cleaned and raised sinking headstones, planted new flowers and power-cleaned monuments throughout the cemetery.
On the single service day, Church volunteers, wearing yellow "Mormon Helping Hands" vests, collectively gave thousands of hours of timely help to California parks currently hit hard by budget constraints.
