Williams Park Clean-up Draws a Crowd

 More than 150 local residents turned out to clean up Roosevelt Williams Park as part of the national Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service.

The event was sponsored by the San Gorgonio Pass Boys & Girls Club, which has its headquarters in Williams Park and has been a major success story in attracting youth participation.

“We started out with six children in 2005,” said Amy Herr, executive director of the club, “and we now service 737.”

According to Bob Botts, past president of the Boys & Girls Club board and a Banning councilman, the club is working with children in Banning and Beaumont, with plans to initiate programs in Calimesa.

The day was promoted as a health fair in addition to being a clean-up day.  Representatives from Loma Linda Hospital and Beaver Medical Group offered free screenings for diabetes and body fat, Beaumont Smiles dental practice passed out free toothbrush kits, and psychological health wasn’t ignored, either—B.A.R.C rescue organization had some cute puppies up for adoption, a well-documented path to happiness.

The MLK Day of Service was a nationwide effort to carry on Dr. King’s message of community activism.  The Corporation for National and Community Service led the annual MLK Day of Service and worked with the King Center in Atlanta, nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, schools and businesses.

“We want to make the day of service a day on, not a day off,” said Rhonda Guaderrama, the Boys & Girls Club’s director of operations.

Guest speakers at the event included Banning Unified School District board president Deborah Dukes and Banning Mayor Barbara Hanna, both of whom pitched in to clean up after speaking.  The cleanup chores included planting flowers and beautifying the park as well as policing it.

Favorite quote of the day, used by Dukes and others, was Dr. King’s dictum, “Life’s most urgent and persistent question is:  what are you doing for others?”

Door prize baskets were given out, T-shirts bearing Dr. King’s likeness were distributed, and other giveaways included buckets for household batteries (which should not be included in the trash) and water bottles from the Western Riverside Council of Governments.

Local businesses sending volunteer teams to the event included Home Depot, Kohl’s, Bass, Nike and Best Buy.  Johnny Russo’s Italian Kitchen made pizzas for the event, and Rancho Market offered barbecue.  L&L Party Supply donated the tables used.

Herr said, “There is no more fitting way to honor Dr. King’s memory than by serving others.”