Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Service topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Casa Grande organizers expect hundreds for National Day of Service Sept. 21 at Ed Hooper Park
Summary
Scott McKuin, a longtime Casa Grande educator, said the third annual National Day of Service on Sept. 21 will begin at 7 a.m. at Ed Hooper Park, with organizers reporting 350 preregistered volunteers and an estimated 500 participants once school teams and community groups arrive.
Casa Grande — Organizers of Casa Grande’s third annual National Day of Service and Remembrance said the community-focused volunteer day will begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Ed Hooper Park and is expected to draw several hundred volunteers.
“We have 350 already signed up — registered, preregistered — now that does not count the two football teams … realistically we are to 500 volunteers already,” said Scott McKuin, who helped start the event with Randy Robbins and others. McKuin, a longtime educator affiliated with the Casa Grande Union High School District, said the day will include a short opening ceremony followed by about 15–16 separate projects around the city.
Organizers said the opening ceremony will last about 30 minutes and that volunteer projects will include trail and shooting range cleanups, trash pickup, painting, tree planting and other neighborhood improvements. Wayne Tomkinson is slated to provide a hot-dog lunch for volunteers, and a booth will allow children and adults to make thank-you cards for first responders, military personnel and medical staff.
McKuin described the event as distinct from many other service days because it brings together four local pillars — the schools, the city, churches and the broader community. “We have the schools, the city, the churches and the community,” McKuin said, noting coordination with school teams and city staff, including Aaron Walters, who reported the preregistration totals in an email to organizers the morning of the interview.
The past two years’ projects included cleanup work on CG Mountain and local trails; this year’s move to Ed Hooper Park is intended to broaden the types of projects and increase public visibility, McKuin said. Volunteers should expect to meet at the park early on Sept. 21 for the ceremony and task assignments.
McKuin, who served in several roles in the Casa Grande Union High School District and coached school sports, said the event grew from a conversation with local leaders and national encouragement for community service. He credited Mayor involvement and long-serving community volunteers for helping build the event into an anticipated citywide effort.
Organizers asked that those interested check local registration channels for availability; as of the interview the preregistration list and on-site logistics were still being finalized.
