Pierpont Community Council

Letter from Staci Kaye-Carr regarding
St. Bonaventure High Volunteering at Marina Park
(received 3/29/09)

On Saturday, March 28th I was walking through Marina Park, as I do almost everyday, but today was very different.

There was music playing from 6-8 large speakers. It sounded like a festival of some kind was going on. What was going on was a group of 60 plus teenagers from St. Bonaventure High School and their parents, all with smiles on their faces, and all very busily cleaning, shoveling sand, sweeping, picking up trash, shoveling sand, painting, edging lawns, shoveling sand, and numerous other beautifying project. All under the guidance of Deacon Bill Wilson, Director of Christian Services at St. Bonaventure High School. I know I mention "shoveling sand" several times because I can't recall when I saw that much of the sidewalk showing at Marina Park. They painted the curbs, they weeded and they even cleaned out those wind protected alcoves of all the cigarette butts, dirt and debris that has been collecting in them for years.

As I walked my dog, through the cleaning frenzy, (it reminded me of what a family goes through readying up their house and yard for a big garden wedding) I went up to many of the kids and parents and thanked them for the hard work and great job they were doing and also for giving up their time to do it.

I found Bill Wilson who was BBQing for the hard working, hungry group and I asked him, "How did they ended up coming to Marina Park?". Bill explained that he called the city and asked how could his group help, and the city said Marina Park could use it. I thanked Bill on behalf of myself and all of us in Pierpont and let him know that I was going to write the Pierpont Community Council, the Ventura City Council and the VC Star newspaper and let them know about the great work that their group accomplished in Marina Park.

It really shows that Deacon Bill Wilson has made it a goal to enhance Christian service projects at the school by taking it into the community and to encourage his students to be more responsible and aware citizens.

Deacon Bill Wilson can be reached at
bwilson@saintbonaventure.com
648-6836 + Ex 255

Sincerely,
Staci Kaye-Carr