WALNUT CREEK – Saturday is usually a day of rest, or perhaps a chance to catch up on chores around the house. But in Walnut Creek, the focus was a little broader as hundreds of volunteers spread throughout the city, working on dozens of projects as part of the annual Walnut Creek Community Service Day.
There is a saying that the most important thing you can give someone besides your love is your labor. In a city named after a creek, a group of workers spent the morning clearing leaves and debris above the riverbed near Civic Park.
“And it’s just fun to get a sense of who our neighbors are,” says volunteer Alexandria Willingham. “Especially because we’re getting so used to our 9-to-5s that it’s fun to see who we live with and who we share the city with.”
She shares it with Idir Makhlouf, who spends a lot of time in the area. He is homeless and spends his nights in the park. He was happy to pick up a rake and help out.
“I like to see the park clean,” Idir said. “It’s really important that we all do this together, that we help each other, you know?”
At Heather Farms Park, a group of volunteers collected edibles for the Food Bank donated by hundreds of people in the community. The Food Bank relies heavily on volunteers, and last year’s Walnut Creek Community Service Day brought in more than 11,000 pounds of food in one day.
“Every person who supports us is truly an essential thread in our safety net in our community,” said Food and Funds Coordinator Dawn Manley. “So it’s very special to see everyone working together.”
Community Service Day started in 2011 when Councilmember Cindy Silva saw something similar in nearby Pleasant Hill. But to keep things interesting, she said, they’ve added some unusual locations and projects.
“So people can experience different things that they haven’t experienced before,” Silva says. “Be involved in a great drive for service. If 750 people each spend three hours in one day, you have more than 2,000 man-hours of work. That was the idea.”
One such unusual experience took place in a surprisingly nondescript building. It houses all costumes used by theater groups at Lesher Center. Inside are thousands of shoes, shirts and clothing in all shapes and sizes.
Young volunteers were sorting items and putting them in their place, and in the recovery room, Ling Chen put the sewing skills she learned as a young girl to good use.
“That’s why I come back every year. When they post it, I sign up first. I never expected to do this,” Ling said as she mended some fastenings on a sequined dress. “But I thought: I’m going to try it, something new. And this is something new. I’m surprised and happy to be here.”
While guests enjoyed Penelope the Porcupine’s visit, at the Lindsay Wildlife Experience, a group of young women were pulling weeds and applying mulch to the gardens.
Charlotte Orr is a teenage member of the National Charity League, a mother-daughter service group that proves that kids these days are pretty awesome.
“Especially as high school students, you want to know that you are actually contributing to the community, not just sitting on your phone, which is what people say we do!” Charlotte said laughing. “It feels like you’re the best version of a person and the best version of a citizen, and I hope everyone does that.”
And with so many people willing to share both their love and their work, Walnut Creek becomes the best version of a city every year on Community Service Day.
John Ramos
