Elbow Grease: The city of Seaside lacks the funds to clean up its parks, so volunteers are stepping in--most notably at Martin Park on Luxton Street. Nic Coury
Obama Thanks You
Seaside's Martin Park volunteers receive Presidential award.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
President Obama has his hands full with the war in Afghanistan, a Nobel Peace Prize and the climate talks in Copenhagen, but still he took the time to recognize the volunteers cleaning up Seaside's parks.
At least, his administration did. Tonight, 22 members of Volunteers Improving Parks will receive a Volunteer Service Award from the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.
"It's a nice little plus to get a letter from the President of the United States of America," says Norman Yasany of VIP, a Seaside city program that works to clean and spruce up municipal parks.
Mayor Ralph Rubio will also present certificates of appreciation and commendation to the volunteers, whose work over the past year has transformed Martin Park from a crime-ridden neighborhood blight into a friendly, well-lit park with a barbecue grill, new trees and landscaping bordered by a hand-made wooden fence.
Sustainable Seaside is working with VIP to raise funds for a cistern, which would irrigate the park with captured rainwater. (The proposal is one of the Weekly's Community Fund causes.)
"We've still got a lot of work to do," Yasany says.
The awards ceremony, featuring a dessert buffet, takes place Dec. 17, 7pm, Oldemeyer Center, 986 Hilby Avenue, Seaside.
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