Green on Green, by Lynnette Kampe

We just can’t get enough!! Councilperson Jose Huizar noticed the work our Beautification Team volunteers have done on Marmion Way the past few months and offered the help of his staff to coordinate assistance from Clean and Green crews to extend the project into CD14! This is great not just because we can improve the appearance of Marmion past Ave. 42, the end of the Community Beautification Project area, but because it will also count as required matching for the grant. Volunteer hours are valued at $15/hr. so that adds up quickly when you’ve got a good group of people, plus it’s more fun. Remember to sign-in! Ka-ching!

The Clean and Green crews are those hard-working young people with green T-shirts and hard hats that you see working on community improvement projects. They’re paid through the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, an amazing non-profit organization that provides work skills and continuing education to at-risk young people. They get some of their funding through the City of Los Angeles so we can’t count their hours are matching, but they sure will help us get a lot done. You can see photos from their Russell Kantor Scholarship Awards on their website at www.lacorps.org. I’ve gone to these awards a number of times and always hear amazing stories of lives they’re turned around.

July 12th will be the first CD 14 work party, and it will be a joint event with the Clean and Green crew, Mt. Washington Association, Mt. Washington Homeowners Alliance and other community volunteers all working together. This date may have past by the time this newsletter gets to you on paper, but we’ll spread the word through other means as and hope to get another good turn-out. Meet at Marmion and Ave. 45, July 12th, from 9-11. We’ll plan on picking up litter and clearing weeds just for 2 hours so that we can quit before it gets hot!

If July 12th has already past, don’t worry, we’ll have another. Councilmember Huizar’s staff has requested another Clean and Green crew to assist us again sometime in October or November and we can pick any location. The only requirement is that it be in CD 14. Any ideas? Moon Canyon? Marmion by the Museum? Please call or email me at lynnette@pacbell.net if you would like to suggest an area that needs some extra help.