Students from Jurupa Valley High School’s National Honor Society gave a helping hand to Les and Diana, seniors living in the in Santiago Estates mobile home park in Moreno Valley. While most of us are busy trimming our trees with ornaments and lights this time of year, these students were busy with another kind of tree trimming! They trimmed trees and bushes, cleared the yard and prepared this home for a much needed painting. Before this mobile home could be painted, the bushes and trees needed to be trimmed back so the walls and trim are exposed. Trimming makes painting and repairs easier. Once the repairs are complete, we planned for the same group to come back and complete phase two: paint the home. That project day will probably take place in January.
Les is a retired veteran and was used to taking care of his home by himself until the last few years. He had both hips replaced which slows a person down quite a bit when it comes to yard work. This couple asked for help after being cited by the park for out of control landscaping. The bushes and trees were taking over three sides of the home since Les had not been able to trim for a long time. The students started bagging the small trimmings and the larger branches were moved on to a tarp at the street. Four oleander stumps and an out of control juniper were removed completely. It was a lot work done in a short amount of time. What a prefect project for Jurupa Valley’s high school NHS students!
It had rained most of the week and Saturday’s forecast called for scattered showers. When the students arrived around 8:30 in the morning it still looked like it might rain which might have put the project day on hold. But the sun broke through the clouds and the group was ready to go. Jenine, Habitat Riverside’s UCR Federal Work Study intern made sure everyone was signed in and also had camera duty for the morning. Volunteers split into three groups to work on multiple projects at the same time. Most of the ladder work was handled by the adult advisors that joined the students for this project.
Once all the trimming was done, everyone helped load the truck with the bags and then the big branches. We pretty much filled the back of the Habitat box truck and it was off to the dump to make sure the green waste was recycled. Les was so pleased he just kept on saying “Thank You” again and again. He was truly impressed with the caring and professional attitude that all the students showed while helping him. Les was even more amazed that his dogs that bark at the smallest sound didn’t go crazy at all the whole time work was being done on the house.
You all did a great job! As Les kept repeating all morning, “Thank You!!!”.
