Mormon Helping Hands 2010

(This is what Duff was involved in last Saturday while I was at the lacrosse tournament with Christine.  It is something members of the church do each year all over the state--and California is a 'big one' !  Our area was in Modjeska Canyon this time.  Tough work clearing brush and dead trees in preparation for fire season.  This article was one of many in the different newspapers throughout the state.)

Tens of thousands of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dressed in their distinctive yellow Helping Hands vests and T-shirts, were seen statewide in California 8 May painting, power washing, trail grooming, rebuilding fences, replacing roof shingles and picking up trash.

Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Church’s Quorum of the Seventy said this latest effort led by Latter-day Saints reinforces their love for cities throughout the state they helped establish in the 1840s.

“We want to follow Jesus Christ’s example of service to others by helping to improve the communities in which we live, especially during these tough economic times for local and state governments.”

An organized corps of at least 70,000 enthusiastic workers partnered with other community volunteers to beautify California’s state, regional and city parks from top to bottom.

“It’s so important for us all to take pride in our communities and help make a difference within them,” said U.S. Congressman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, who participated in the day of service. “With everyone working together on painting, planting and other improvements, not only does it make a difference, but it saves a great deal of money by way of volunteers’ time.”

Service opportunities were performed in nearly 200 parks throughout the state.

The Mormon Helping Hands program was officially established in 1998, and since then hundreds of thousands of volunteers have donated millions of hours of service to their communities in many parts of the world.