On Saturday I got up early even though I wanted to sleep in for a change, but the payoff was magnificent. I got some color on my skin, met new people in my community, and played in the dirt. It was the annual Spring Fling in Cardiff where neighbors get together to help out at the beautiful Carpentier Parway. This roadside attraction leads you down a winding path in between trees and bushes and flowers galore. It is so empowering to complete some hard physical labor. Nothing else fills quite so worthwhile when I am so tired I can barely move. I was there for 5 hours and LOVED every minute of it. I got to meet and work with a whole new set of people of different ages and backgrounds who made the job even more fun. Hey, playing in the dirt is always fun for me. I love to garden and do so often. Together we helped spruce up the already gorgeous parkway by transferring rose vines, planting bushes, trimming plants, hauling away debris, and laying down some beautiful red cedar. Working with others you may never meet otherwise is one major joy of volunteering.
I was lucky to be joined by my brother who is always there when I ask for others to join me in my volunteering adventures. Meeting Linda Lee, the creator of the park was an extra treat. She transformed a bland unhealthy area into a beautiful parkway for all residents and visitors to enjoy. Before reading about her work in the paper last year I had assumed the city was responsible for this parkway. Instead Linda approached the city to improve it and to use organic and sustainable practices while keeping the fees for park maintenance less than the original plan. You can read about Linda in the Coast News.
http://thecoastnews.com/2013/01/linda-lee-the-magician-behind-carpentier-parkway-landscape/
WHAT COMMUNITY PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER?
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Individual Empowerment 