The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints brought their rakes, pitchforks, chainsaws, shovels, pickups, wheelbarrows and gloves to Sisters Middle School last Saturday morning to give the school grounds a facelift.

"Every year our church does a community-service project, and this year the middle school got our help," said organizer Swen Petterson.

Leland Bliss, school district director of operations, was happy to have a grounds crew for a whole morning.

"We don't have the time or the personnel or the budget to accomplish some of the items on our priority list, so we appreciate volunteers willing to help get the jobs done," he said.

Bliss only has one groundskeeper for 45 acres of school property; 20 acres per manager is typical.

The majority of the work was raking pine needles, however workers also took on tree-cutting, noxious-weed removal, and dug out unwanted plants.

Two female missionaries from the church, currently serving in the Sisters area, also participated.

"We believe that service work unites the community, helping us to feel part of something important," Sister Allen noted. "And it's a way to show love for the people around us such as those we work and live with."

The youngest volunteer was 12-year-old Brogan Petterson. When asked why he was participating, he replied that this was his school and he had a sense of pride in helping it to look nice.

Past community projects of the church include weeding city gardens, painting the Village Green restrooms and gazebo, cleaning the Creekside Park area, and curbside painting near Sisters Elementary School.