PHOTOS COURTESY PAMELA FRICKMANN & ARLEN DOWNING-YACONELLI
Over a period of several months, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the City of Sacramento and the Sacramento Tree Foundation met, planned and organized am event benefitting the city park system, which has been hit hard by budget cuts.
Early morning on May 8 about 650 members from the Sacramento North Stake gathered at the church building to begin the day. Church leaders, Bob Tanner, Bryan Anderson, Gordon Treadway and all the team leaders were out front, encouraging and directing, and passing out yellow “Mormon Helping Hands” jerseys. Councilman Ray Tretheway from the Sacramento City Council represented the City in the joint venture.
A prayer, some pointed instructions, and the whole crew was off to work.
Along a mile of the walking/biking trail from Redbud Park 86 trees were planted, weeds were removed, and the whole trail spruced up, while across the freeway at a second site, a community garden was constructed and the surrounding area weeded and graded, giving the neighborhood two very large garden boxes, ready to plant, and reducing the summer fire hazard.
The representative from the Sacramento Tree Foundation expressed appreciation for the enthusiasm and hard work that church members put into the project and expressed surprise and appreciation for a big job done quickly and well. At the garden site, the city volunteer coordinator expressed her admiration for the youth working on the project.
Thank you to all those who volunteered. I did notice a difference and was mistakenly giving my gratitude to city workers. Your sacrifice of time and sweat is greatly appreciated!