Over 175 motivated volunteers converged on the Fillmore High School campus last Saturday morning to work on a number of cleanup and beautification projects. Projects included rose pruning and fertilization, mulching, raking leaves, sweeping, weeding, shrub pruning, painting of lunch tables, library cleaning and straightening, and sidewalk gum removal. The event was co-hosted by Fillmore High School, the Big Brothers-Big Sisters Mentor Program, the Fillmore Lions Club and the Fillmore Morning Rotary Club. It was a great example of collaboration between school and community groups.

The event drew about 130 participants of the Walt Disney Corporation’s “Give a Day – Get a Day” community service campaign where preregistered participants can earn a Disneyland Pass for participating in community service at a predetermined service site. Many of the “Give a Day – Get a Day” participants were from out of town from as far away as Bakersfield, Thousand Oaks and Valencia. The remaining estimated 40 – 50 participants were local students and community members. January is also National Mentoring Month so the event fit perfectly with the Big Brothers- Big Sisters Mentoring Program. In fact, a number of mentors were observed working with their mentees at the event.

With the anticipated large turnout, preparation became the key to the success of the event. Norma Magana and Lynn Edmonds managed the registration of participants while Bill Dewey of the Fillmore Lions Club saw that there were plenty of worthwhile projects and the necessary equipment for the event. The Fillmore Lions Club donated 30 gum scrapers, plastic bags, gloves, and gardening tools, and fertilizer for the event. Gama Aguilar from the Fillmore Unified School District Maintenance Department also provide support by providing mounds of mulch, a roll off dumpster, gardening tools and a pressure washer. As a result of the outstanding service of the organizers and the volunteers, Fillmore High School students reported to a much more beautiful campus Monday morning.