Stories

More than 800 county volunteers strive to make a difference

Sefira Bracha Fialkoff - Sentinel Correspondent
Article Launched: 10/26/2008 01:42:14 AM PDT

ShareFest got more than 800 volunteers out of bed early Saturday morning to make a difference in their community—painting public restrooms, picking up trash and sprucing up school gardens.

The fourth annual Santa Cruz County ShareFest was a day of community service projects sponsored by Santa Cruz County churches. Participants from 14 churches and a handful of UC Santa Cruz students showed up at 33 locations across the county to lend a hand from 9 a.m. to noon.

“This year, our volunteers have done beautiful work. There was great energy at all the sites,” said ShareFest co-leader Michelle Whiting.

ShareFest is sponsored by the Evangelical Ministers Fellowship, a coalition of Christian churches in the county.

“Serving the community as a united church provides a powerful witness to the community of the love of Christ, demonstrating both service and unity,” said Whiting.

This year, ShareFest teamed up with National Make a Difference Day and the cities of Capitola and Santa Cruz. Typical projects included painting, fixing, cleaning or beautifying schools, senior homes and public parks.

“It’s a great way to reach out and meet other like-minded community members,” said volunteer Larry Holser of Coast Chapel in Santa Cruz. Holser volunteered at Green Acres School, where there was a life lab cleanup and gardening project taking place.

“The projects are intended to demonstrate God’s love by reaching out to those who are most in need,” said Whiting.

Prayer was a key part of the event. A prayer for fun and safety was said at the start of each project.

“Most of our volunteers are adult church members, but it is our intent to make an event that is open to everyone,” said Whiting.

There were individuals and families participating, as well as students completing community service hours. Tim Baker and his family helped paint the Teen Center in downtown Santa Cruz. “The folks that work there were amazed at the progress, especially the teens. It was very rewarding,” said Baker.

Many of the projects will carry out into the year as long-term community service opportunities.

Saturday also marked the start of the Second Harvest Food drive co-hosted by ShareFest and Twin Lakes Churches. The food drive continues until Nov. 9 at Twin Lakes Church in Aptos. Their goal this year is to collect half a million pounds of donated food.

For the first time, ShareFest will sponsor JobFest, the 18th annual Access To Employment Job Fair for Santa Cruz County residents on 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at the Santa Cruz Bible Church, 440 Frederick St. Participating employers include Cabrillo College, Monterey Bay Aquarium, the city of Santa Cruz, Safeway, Target, and dozens more. Admission is free.

For information, or to sign up for events, visit http://www.santacruzfest.org.
Contact Sefira Fialkoff at 429-2436 or jcopeland@santacruzsentinel.com.

Last year, ShoreLife Community Church chose to partner with New Brighton Middle School to help beautify the school campus. Here is a sample of the feedback received from New Brighton Middle School staff:

“Wow, I can actually open my classroom windows and get some air in now that you trimmed away the huge shrubbery!  Thank you so much!”
NBMS teacher

“Wow, the weeds are gone.  What a mess that was.  Thank you for reaching into our community.”
NBMS Janitor

“What a help that was for you to move things from room to room.  Our teachers will just love you for that!”
NBMS Vice Principal

“We would like to honor ShoreLife Community Church who have gone beyond just a one-time event in helping us.  You have reached into our community, our students, and our teachers.  Thank you for helping us be successful.  Thank you for your involvement here at New Brighton Middle School.”
NBMS Principal

The goal of ShareFest is to make a real positive difference in the community in just one day. This is the second year for ShareFest in Santa Cruz County and close to 20 churches and the San Jose Police Academy participated in working on 30 projects in our community.  ShareFest worked with the City of Santa Cruz Park and Recreation Department and Redevelopment Agency, CitySERVE, Santa Cruz Volunteer Center, Santa Cruz Community Counseling Center along with several schools throughout the county. Some of the projects completed in the City of Santa Cruz included: painting the Museum of Natural History, painting rooms, cleaning windows and demolishing the deck at the Louden Nelson Community Center, painting and special projects at the Teen Center and Beach Flats Community Center, repairs and weeding at Harbor High and Gault Elementary School and the undaunting task of cleaning the river levee.  In addition, over 53 tons of food and $2,000 was raised that will be given to two agencies of the Mayor’s choice: Community Bridges and Dientes Community Dental Care.  It is estimated that over 1,000 volunteers participated in this year’s event, which adds up to somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 hours of service donated to our community. UNBELIEVABLE!

Mike Rotkin
Santa Cruz City Councilmember

The folks who participated in the San Lorenzo River clean up between the river mouth and Highway 1 last Saturday morning October 21st deserve a huge thank you from the entire community.  I understand the clean up was completed by a group of about 80 people affiliated with local churches, including Santa Cruz Bible Church, Twin Lakes Church and others, participating in a program called ShareFest that brings members of various churches together to perform good works and compassionate community service projects.  The clean up was sorely needed and well timed.  At this time of year, when trash accumulation is greatest, coming rains threaten to not only make it more difficult to clean up rain soaked trash, but will eventually flush it all into the sanctuary.  As a daily user of the Riverway for transportation and recreation I can’t thank them enough for their volunteer work to improve the environment and the quality of life in the heart of our community.  I also understand they had some planning, material and logistical help from City of Santa Cruz staff in the Redevelopment, Public Works and Parks and Recreation Departments.  Thank you to those folks as well.

David Carlson
Santa Cruz