Mormon Helping Hands: Fix Up, Clean Up, Build It in California and Hawaii

Thousands of Mormon Helping Hands volunteers painted, collected food, planted trees, cleaned and fixed up the states of California and Hawaii.

Mormon Helping Hands are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) anxious to make a difference by being good neighbors in beautifying their communities. Approximately 70,000 people participated in the daylong activity on Saturday, 28 April, and not all the volunteers were Latter-day Saints; 17,000 were people of other faiths. Volunteers donated 227,280 hours on 536 projects.

Mormon Helping Hands are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) anxious to make a difference by being good neighbors in beautifying their communities. Approximately 70,000 people participated in the daylong activity on Saturday, 28 April, and not all the volunteers were Latter-day Saints; 17,000 were people of other faiths. Volunteers donated 227,280 hours on 536 projects.

“Mormon Helping Hands 2012 was a wonderful success!” said Bill Marble, chairman of the North America West Mormon Helping Hands Committee. “Municipalities everywhere are struggling to maintain important community services and facilities,” added Marble, who also serves as a Woodland City councilman. “Many not of our faith joined with our wonderful members. We have forged enduring partnerships with community leaders, elected officials and other faith groups through this unique day of service,” Marble concluded.

A Southern California woman was the recipient of Mormon Helping Hands at her home in Menifee. She expressed her grateful heart to the volunteers: “Just sharing your love and your concern for someone you don’t even know — I know that is a wonderful, wonderful thing. Thank you so much. I love you all.”

“We were so impressed with the variety of services performed this year,” said Kathy Marler, a member of the North America West Mormon Helping Hands Committee. “Some of the services included installation of an irrigation system, refurbishing historical buildings and bike and jogging trails, removing graffiti, sponsoring a blood drive, installing playground equipment at a school, cleaning, removing trash, raking out sand and trimming greenery at beaches, making cement benches for cemeteries, and that doesn’t begin to delineate the projects.”

Local media captured the action in photo essays and the written word.

Mormons lend a hand to spruce up Valley parks (The Fresno Bee)

Ron Orozco: Mormons launch service projects (The Fresno Bee)

Mormons help spruce up county's Steckel Park (Ventura County Star)

Murrieta Mormon Helping Hands City-Wide Food Drive (Murrieta Patch)

Thousands lend a 'helping hand' countywide (San Diego Union)

Mormon Helping Hands (KESQ News Channel 3 Palm Springs)

LAKE ELSINORE: Serving others (North County Times)

Volunteers sought to assist Mormons in their annual beautification projects areawide (The Sun)

HEMET: Volunteers ready the Ramona Bowl for Spring performances (The Press-Enterprise)

Redlands Community Day of Service accomplishes almost 8,000 man hours in four hours (Redlands Daily Facts)

DAR and Mormon Helping Hands join the make derelict base housing safer (Orange County Breeze)

Mormon Helping Hands 'day of service' builds pride (Hanford Sentinel)

Rotary Club/Mormon Helping Hands Day of Service 2012  (Scoop San Diego)

Hundreds of Mormons lend a helping hand (Davis Enterprise)

Mormons, volunteers spruce up the region on Mormon Helping Hands day (Contra Costa Times)

Volunteers spruce up Effie Yeaw Center during service day (Sacramento Bee)

Mormon Helping Hands at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center 2012 (KHTS Radio Santa Clarita)