Volunteers to be Recognized for Landmark Restoration Efforts

The city of Moreno Valley will award city volunteers certificates early next year, in recognition of their hard work in restoring the city's landmark "M," which sits on the side of Box Springs Mountain. The recognition ceremony will take place on Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Eighteen volunteers worked for five hours on Nov. 7, to make the landmark shine by sweeping and cleaning debris off the monument, which is set into the mountain at a 45 degree angle and measures 150 square feet and 20 feet wide. Volunteer efforts will also be recognized by Assemblyman Jose Medina, who will present separate certificates of recognition to each individual who donated time, resources and/or labor to the restoration. On Nov. 19, the group of volunteers themselves recognized those who helped contribute to the efforts. City Parks and Recreation Commissioner James C. Baker II led the landmark restoration project and during the Moreno Valley Noon Rotary Club's weekly meeting two weeks ago, the group of volunteers presented the Rotary Club with a certificate of acknowledgement for the Rotary's donation of $1,000 to help fund the $1,700 clean-up efforts. Baker told the Moreno Valley City News in the Nov. 7 edition of the newspaper, "We want people to hear and see good things coming out of Moreno Valley. We want our city to shine and we're going to start with our famous hillside landmark, a project the entire city can be proud of." In an email he sent to volunteers following the restoration, Baker shared that though the project has not been finalized, he hopes to take on a new holiday-themed project on the M. He said via email, "The wheels are in motion for us to light up the M for the holidays, with red and green accent colors. This can be Moreno Valley's way of telling the world, 'Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.' We are still standing." City Hall is located at 14177 Frederick St., Moreno Valley.