Garden of Hope ground Breaking August 29,2011
Thank you United Way Volunteers, Jeanne Ramirez, City of Beaumont, Beaumont Police Department, Do It Best, Little Insurance Company, Cherry Valley Nursery for being apart of our Ground Breaking Day.

Make a difference: help on United Way’s Day of Caring

VFW Post 233 commander David Tedrow, right, listens as United Way representatives discuss installation of a planned patio.
BY DAVID JAMES HEISS
Record Gazette
Published: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 12:12 AM CDT
The front yard of Robert D. Little Insurance Services, Inc., is about to see a transformation of its quaint little front yard.

Part of it is going to become a permanent flower bed, with plants tagged in memory of a child who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. The project, sponsored by OK Kidz Komfort, a Beaumont-based nonprofit organization that primarily caters to children facing chronic life-threatening situations, is part of the United Way of the Inland Valleys’ Day of Caring event coming up on Saturday, Aug. 27.

A dozen police officers and city employees from Beaumont are expected to clear land and plant flowers, donated by Cherry Valley Nursery.

More than 1,600 volunteers generally come together to perform community service projects across the county during the Day of Caring, reaching out to various organizations and citizens that can benefit from one-time assistance.

Several nonprofit agencies and six individuals will have light projects be undertaken by groups of volunteers from local businesses and churches: Beaumont-based J.P. Striping will paint parking lanes and outline handicapped spaces at Beaumont Library’s parking lot; Legacy Church in Banning will be doing roof repair and yard clean-up at the Beaumont Senior Center, as well as feeding homeless people and passing out care packages; employees of Ewing Painting in Banning will do painting projects at the San Gorgonio Child Care Consortium in Banning; members and representatives from the Boys & Girls Club of the San Gorgonio Pass and Operation Kidz Komfort will do crafts with seniors at The Lakes retirement community in Banning; the college youth group from LifePoint Church in Banning will be among those serving individuals with special needs who will see roofs get repaired, shrubs trimmed, driveways installed, and general yard and house clean-ups performed. One 87-year-old woman will have a ramp for her wheelchair installed at her home.

Mark Little, who works for his family’s insurance business where the memorial garden is to be installed, won’t be at his company on the United Way Day of Caring — he’ll be helping out fellow members of the Banning Rotary Club install a sand box at the San Gorgonio Childcare Consortium.

He’s confident OK Kidz Komfort, which leases space above his Beaumont company’s office, will do a good job tearing up the front lawn.

“The memory garden is something we believe in,” Little said. “Local kids — even kids from out-of-town — will have a place to come and see that they are being recognized.”

Shannon Smith, president and founder of OK Kidz Komfort, was thrilled that the Littles were so accommodating of their idea.

“We’re really excited about this project,” she said. “We were told to go ahead and take it over to make it something special for the kids of our community.”

Beaumont police officer Kristi Tom stopped by the future garden site to get an idea of what to expect.

“The city and the police department are always huge about being for the community,” she said. “This is just another way for us to give back.”

The veterans of VFW Post 233 in Beaumont will have a patio installed by members of the Beaumont Lions Club. Post Commander David Tedrow is looking forward to having “more outdoor activities and barbecues, and a nice place to have our flag ceremonies,” he said. “It may be the little things, but it means a lot to our members. It’s really neat that the Lions are willing to help us out.”

Volunteers are requested to check in before 8 a.m. Aug. 27 at LifePoint Church, 565 N. San Gorgonio Ave. in Banning; teams of volunteers will be dispatched to projects and work from 8:30 a.m. to noon. All volunteers will be treated to a lunch afterwards.

To learn how you can help on the United Way Day of Caring, call coordinator Jeanne Ramirez at (951) 756-4946.

Staff Writer David James Heiss may be reached at dheiss@recordgazette.net.