These Volunteers Aren't Afraid of Hard Work

REDLANDS >> The Redlands Community Day of Service took place on Saturday, April 30 and was a huge success. Hundreds of volunteers came together to perform service at various locations throughout the city. Volunteers of all ages were encouraged to come and help make improvements at their choice of nine different locations: Prospect Park, Avis Meeker Sewell Theatre, Heritage Park, Redlands Historical Museum (old Daily Facts building), Texonia Park, Ramona Drive (at Highland Ave.), Smiley Library, Redlands Bowl, and the Building a Generation Montero House. In years passed, over 1,000 people have volunteered to participate in the event and in 2013, over 2,000 people volunteered. According to event organizer, Max Fisher, across all volunteer locations over 700 people participated this year which was still a good turnout considering the early morning rain. Mike Gillian and brothers John and Gary Hallen volunteered at the Smiley Library and even brought their sons to help out. The volunteers at the Smiley Library worked hard to clean out dead flowers, remove sod, and plant perennials in the front of the building and back patios. Boy Scout Cory Kienzle organized the volunteers at the Redlands Bowl as part of his Eagle Scout project. "We're just fixing the benches so people won't get splinters," he said. According to Cory, at least 23 volunteers helped out at the Redlands Bowl. When asked why he was participating in the project, Bryson Miles, a volunteer at the Redlands Bowl said, "I just want to help the community." Bryson's mom, Kristina said that her family has participated in the event for the last seven years. The event was organized by the Redlands Service Club Council (RSCC), the City of Redlands, and the Redlands Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to event organizers Max Fisher and Larry Munz, at least 30 service organizations from the area participated in this year's event which they began planning last September. Munz organized the 60-80 volunteers who helped clean out a large lot next to the Redlands Historical Museum and said Westcoast Auto donated tree removal services prior to the event on Saturday so that volunteers would be able to finish cleaning out the lot. Volunteer Nelda Stuck said that the City of Redlands plans to transform the now empty lot into a "living room" for the city. After the projects were complete, the Kiwanis Club provided a free lunch at Heritage Park, complete with live music. All of the hungry volunteers were offered hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and cookies as a thank you for all of their hard work.