by Michael H. Imwalle
Koji Tanaka and volunteers from the Santa Barbara School of Squash working around the Presidio Research Center. Photo by Chris Ervin.
Saturday September 14th SBTHP staff hosted the United Way Day of Caring volunteers at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park. Maintenance Supervisor Eduardo Vallin, Executive Director Anne Petersen, Librarian Chris Ervin and I supervised approximately 32 volunteers doing numerous projects around the park. This year volunteers included several families, staff from Exxon/Mobil, and the Santa Barbara School of Squash. Eduardo supervised a group that whitewashed the Northwest Corner Defense Wall, tilled the soil beneath the Cañedo Orchard fruit trees, and cleaned and waxed the statue of King Carlos.
Santa Barbara School of Squash volunteers whitewashing the outer defense wall. Photo courtesy of United Way Santa Barbara.
Anne directed a group of volunteers that took on the daunting task of cleaning and organizing of the Old Research Center library space. Chris oversaw the cleanup of the Presidio Research Center landscaping. Trees and shrubs were pruned all the way around the building to provide space for the HVAC equipment and to expose existing signage. I worked with a group of volunteers from Exxon/Mobil to complete the annual maintenance of our garden areas. Volunteers weeded, tilled, hauled mulch, pruned, and planted in the Presidio Heritage Gardens at the Northwest and Northeast Corners.
Santa Barbara School of Squash volunteers helping with the annual cleaning and waxing of the King Carlos III statue. Photo courtesy of United Way Santa Barbara.
Thanks to the help of the generous United Way Day of Caring volunteers, SBTHP was able to accomplish critical maintenance projects to prepare the site for winter. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership between SBTHP and the United Way Santa Barbara volunteer community again next year.
Volunteers from Exxon/Mobil working in the gardens behind the Northwest Corner Visitor’s Center. Photo courtesy of United Way Santa Barbara.
Volunteers from Exxon/Mobil working in the Presidio Heritage Gardens at the Northeast Corner of the Presidio. Photo courtesy of United Way Santa Barbara.