Mormon Helping Hands - 2011

Eight hundred volunteers in yellow and blue vests and shirts shoveled mulch, removed dead shrubbery, planted trees, painted curbs, and did whatever was necessary to beautify the parks in Vista and Fallbrook. This event marked the second year locally that members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participated in a community clean-up, officially named the Mormon Helping Hands Day. In Vista, Mayor Judy Ritter met with the volunteers at Bub Williamson Park and thanked everyone for coming: “You all get a gold star for getting up early on this May gray day to come and participate in this event!” Vista Stake President Paul M. Hatch greeted the volunteers, 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.”

Vista Mayor Judy Ritter (center left), Vista Stake President Paul M. Hatch (center) and Public Affairs Director Tracy McEwan (center right) with a large group of volunteers at Bub Williamson Park on Grapevine Ct. early Saturday morning with enthusiasm and a Proclamation, naming May 7, 2011 Mormon Helping Hands Day in the City of Vista!

Mormon Helping Hands was established in 1998 to help parks, beaches, and school districts struggling with shortfalls in their budgets, and over 75,000 people participated last year throughout California and Hawaii.

In Vista, at Soroptimist Park on the corner of Vista Way and Santa Fe, volunteers shoveled, wheelbarrowed, raked, and distributed tons of mulch, giving the small park a clean, new look. At Raintree Park on Townsite Drive, new benches were installed, curbs and walls painted, and fences installed and repaired. At Guajome Regional Park, volunteers planted trees, painted red curbs, cleaned up the children’s playground, painted fences and walls, removed weeds and dead shrubbery, and built a rail fence.

Spreading mulch in Soroptimist Park (L to R) Lauren Reiland, former Mayor Morris Vance, John Tinling, John Reiland, Bob Marriott, Jason McCue, Dave Hill, Debbie Hill and Emily Hill.