Nearly 50 volunteers descended on Tahoe Park this past Saturday morning for the first “Clean-Up Day” of the year. The stormy weather and gray clouds were no deterrent to the men, women, and children who participated in the Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association’s event.

Friends and family members broke up into about a dozen teams and were given a wide berth to attend to whatever section of the park they wanted. Some teams patched the worn-out sections in the jogging path. Other teams weeded the tree trunks and spread fresh mulch around their bases. Even more teams cut suckers and low lying branches on the pine trees.

Eleven year resident Ray Duke found the event to be well organized and also a lot of fun. “I lived in Roseville before moving to Tahoe Park. This area feels better, it feels more neighborly.” Duke said. He is looking forward to attending future events, but hopes for better weather. “You can’t help the rain, you just deal with it. Next time, if we don’t have the rain, we’ll get even more done!”

For the first time, volunteers used tools that were purchased with money from a grant by “Gifts-To-Share Inc.” Brand new rakes, brooms, pruners, hedge trimmers, and wheelbarrows were thoroughly broken in on the park grounds. TPNA plans to put to them to good use again during future events.

Past events had been considered successful when they had attracted two dozen volunteers. Surprisingly, after the rolls had been tallied, organizers were humbled to learn that the attendance was at least 44 people at Saturdays event. Some people, who started participating later in the morning, didn‘t get a chance to sign in. For that reason, the true number of how many attended is estimated to have even been higher.

Bill Motmans, President of the TPNA, believes that this event was reflective of the giving nature of the residents of Tahoe Park. “Even with the rain, what a turnout! These people really prove the fact that this is a great place to live.” Motmans personally hauled several wheelbarrow loads of mulch and trimmed overgrown bushes that hid a long neglected flagpole. “This park is really going to shine now. These are the finishing touches that make our park a great place for neighbors to enjoy.”

Many representatives from the city were also in attendance. Julie Mier, volunteer coordinator for the parks department, made sure that workers had access to plenty of tools and a steady supply of hot chocolate. City park maintenance worker Tom Magarrell, who is responsible for the day-to-day upkeep of Tahoe Park, advised organizers of places in the park that could use extra attention. Vincene Jones, director of Neighborhood Services, came out and cheered on the enthusiastic crowd. Neighborhood Resources coordinator Khallid Muttaui even grabbed a pitchfork and loaded mulch into waiting wheelbarrows.

Councilmember Kevin McCarty arranged for Teichert Construction’s donation of two hundrend and fifty dollars worth of decomposed granite. As the volunteers work came to an end, McCarty addressed the crowd. “This is the model for what we need in our community, right here in Tahoe Park” he told the volunteers. “Neighbors coming out, in this time where our park budget has experienced huge cuts, that’s how we’re going to keep our park safe and beautiful.”

The Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association is planning another Clean-Up Day for late May. For more information please visit tahoe-park.org or email isaacTPNA@gmail.com.

Isaac Gonzalez is a board member of the TPNA.