On June 27 Lakeside’s Historic Business District was swarming with worker bees who came in force to a work party. Welding their Hula Hoes, weed whackers, shovels, rakes, gloves and trash bags, they went straight to their work, some even down on their knees, digging up weeds from the cracks of the sidewalks.
Kolleen Paredes, who was the organizer of the cleanup campaign, didn’t let any grass grow under her feet either, as soon as she had the teams of three and four people off to their assigned area, as she joined in the fun too. Not a cigarette butt or weed was left behind. Organizations that were represented were: Lakeside Watch Force, Faith Mountain Pentecostal Church, Kiwanis, Keller Williams Reality, Church of Latter Day Saints, Lakeside River Park Conservancy, Stax Storage, Kritter Gitters, Lakeside Hotel, the Maine Avenue Revitalization Association and many Lakeside residents. There was no gloom and doom on their faces, just happy talk.
During the work party Joel Scalzitte from Mary’s Donuts gave the volunteers a donut and Leo’s Pharmacy gave them drinks. It was a real community effort. After all the work was done Paredes said there were more than 75 people who came to help. And it paid off because 250 bags of weeds and trash was collected by Vittorio Morero who drove his truck around to put the finishing touch on the job. Paredes said, “I love Lakeside, and this is why.”
Colleen Dodge said, “I love seeing a positive influence in Lakeside, instead of kids rioting and looting, this gives me hope for the future.”
Betty McMillan is a member of the Lakeside Historical Society
