The usually quiet trails of Westhills Park in Victoria, British Columbia, were alive with the sound of rakes scraping, shovels digging, gloves tugging and the happy chatter of neighbors working side by side on May 24. Volunteers removed invasive plants, loaded tarps and hauled debris to waiting trucks.
More than 200 members and friends of the Victoria British Columbia Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined in the Saturday of sweat, smiles and service as part of the stake’s 50th anniversary celebration, according to the Church’s Canada Newsroom. Partnering with the Langford Residents Association, the city of Langford and FireSmart BC, the stake organized a large-scale cleanup that would reduce wildfire risk, protect the park and benefit the community.
Celebrating through service
Church members and local residents joined forces to clear nearly 8,000 cubic feet of invasive plants and debris from the park, including broom, blackberry, gorse, wood and even metal. Langford Residents Association President Jeff Byam estimated they removed approximately 115 pickup truckloads.
“I feel genuinely honored that our organization and the city of Langford were able to collaborate in this service project,” Byam said. “The Church’s involvement in this volunteer event speaks volumes about its commitment to community service.”
Byam told Church News that one of the great challenges the association has faced is advertising cleanup events and attracting volunteers to set aside time from their busy schedules, even though for those who participate, it is “tremendously rewarding.” He was thrilled by the community response after working extensively with Richard Parnell, Victoria Stake activities director, for the late May cleanup.
“The [May] event with over 200 volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was over the top,” said Byam. “Tremendous teamwork and results. Very memorable.”
Church member Melanie Faganello expressed similar feelings: “[Serving] removes me from my personal bubble; it helps me forget myself and focus on others.”
Sharon Broadwood, an addiction recovery specialist for the Church, said, “This gives me a unique opportunity with all the other volunteers to put my beliefs into action.”
Liane Lyle, a Church member, shared, “It just feels good to make a difference.”
Parnell expressed thanks to Byam for helping make the service day possible and suggested the possibility of stake participation in future cleanup events.
“It’s sparking discussions about the need for us to do this more often,” said Parnell.
Generations of ‘faith in action’
Following the cleanup, volunteers and community members gathered for a luncheon and program with musical performances, a video highlighting the Church’s history on Vancouver Island and messages from Elder Mark A. Bragg, a General Authority Seventy and the president of the then-North America West Area, and Elder M. Travis Wolsey, an Area Seventy in Canada. Both encouraged participants to continue serving and to look ahead to the upcoming construction of the Victoria British Columbia Temple.
Victoria Stake President Gary Anderson commented that they saw “faith in action by generations” throughout the celebration, noting the sense of belonging felt as they served the community together.
