Getting Dirty for Day of Caring

A record number of Westmont students spent Saturday morning, Sept. 20, pulling weeds, planting trees, spreading mulch and picking up trash during the United Way’s Day of Caring. More than 140 students pitched in, joined by several Westmont faculty and staff: Lesa Stern, associate professor of communication studies; Laura Wilson, secretary; Joy Johnson, administrative assistant; Heidi Henes-Van Bergen, secretary; and Karen Sloan, administrative assistant. Sloan was the volunteer coordinator for the college for the second year. She says residence directors Jon Young and Daniel Clapp were the ones who rallied the troops.

“They were so enthusiastic and have really embraced the Day of Caring,” Sloan says. “They were very eager and wanted to revisit Dos Pueblos High School where they were last year.”

Other groups went to pick up trash at West Beach, East Beach and Butterfly Beach.

Sloan says the large group at Dos Pueblos was finishing its landscaping assignment when the school’s track coach approached them. He was working by himself to get the football field ready before Friday’s first historic home football game.

“So we went over and helped him weed, water and pick up trash at the field,” Sloan says.

Sophomore Rachel Penner says she enjoyed the work. “I was reminded when we were planting trees how important it is for us all to take care of God’s creation.”

President Gayle D. Beebe attended the kick-off breakfast held at the Page Youth Center, where Westmont received an ovation for once again having the largest number of volunteers, this time a record for the United Way of Santa Barbara County.

More than a thousand volunteers, including Supervisor Salud Carbajal, served at 50 non-profit agencies around Santa Barbara County