Lions, Chesy team up for improvements
Published 12:00 am Saturday, June 3, 2006
CHESAPEAKE — While most people were at home coloring eggs or hunting for them Saturday, a few volunteers came out to do some sprucing up to the Chesapeake Community Center.
The Chesapeake-Proctorville-Rome Lion’s Club adopted the center as one of its major community projects in 1988, since then it has done some major work to the facility, including installing the walking track. But, now, Bob Smith, president of the club, said some upkeep is needed to keep the center in tip-top shape. The group helped to re-paint the concrete on the walking track, put new lumber on the picnic benches and removed brush from along the backside of the track.
“This has become a serious problem,” Smith said of the overgrowing brush. “We wanted people to be able to see the river from the tract when they are walking.”
A handful of Lions showed up for Saturday’s clean up. This year, the club got some help from the Honor Society and Beta Club from Chesapeake High School.
Sarah Rucker, a CHS junior, said she enjoys volunteering, even though most of her work included pulled weeds and brush.
“I think we all need to help the community all we can,” she said. “The center serves a lot of people and we need to help them as much as possible.
Senior Logan Wills agreed, saying the center is a valuable asset to the community. He said it’s the younger generation’s responsibility to help out whenever they are needed.
“The center offers a lot to the people in the community and because this is the old high school, I feel a real need to do this,” Wills said.
The Lion’s Club members were more than happy to take the help, but were also impressed by the students’ service.Herb Nida worked with the students removing brush, sticks and weeds.
“These kids are really a blessing. Anytime we can get the youth out here and set an example fort them, it is important,” Nida said.
“The kids are such good kids and you hardly don’t hear about those anymore.”
The work at the center did not end Saturday. The Lion’s Club is completing a t-ball field at the site and is also putting new gravel on the walking track.