Riverside Community Members Give Back To RUSD Schools By Participating In Sandals Church Dear California Movement
April 13, 2022
On Saturday, April 9, Sandals Church recruited community members from across Riverside to participate in campus beautification on four Riverside Unified School District campuses: Chemawa Middle School, Highland Elementary, Magnolia Elementary, and Washington Elementary.
This effort was part of a statewide Sandals Church initiative called Dear California that gives back to public institutions and small businesses that serve the greater community.
Some of the volunteers focused on helping to improve the conditions of our school's community gardens, which help teach our students about plant growth and caring for the earth.
“Highland's Reef garden went dormant during the last two years,” said Highland Elementary Principal, Donna Dorsey. “We thank the Sandals Church community for coming out to reinvigorate our Reef garden. Our students will use their plant science knowledge to feed, water, track growth, and enjoy the vegetables and fruits the plants produce.”
At other sites, volunteers planted trees around the campus and worked on general clean-up tasks to help beautify the area.
“Thanks to Sandals Church and our Away from the Crowd Club students who came out and helped add some color and a little pop to our campus,” said Chemawa Principal Gerardo Arenas. “We can't wait for the apple tree to start producing fruit for our happy home in the years to come.”
Volunteers cleaned some of the planter areas and added drought-friendly plants. They revitalized Chemawa’s garden with fruit and vegetable plants. “We are grateful for the students, employees and Sandals Church community members who volunteered their time,” said Brent Lee, RUSD Board President. “RUSD takes great pride in its community partnerships and we are honored to have been beneficiaries of such a heartfelt effort.”
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Contact:
Nick Hamre
Community Relations Manager
nhamre@riversideunified.org
About Riverside Unified School District
Riverside Unified School District is the 16th largest school district in California, serving nearly 42,000 students in 50 schools in Riverside, California. RUSD is governed by five Board of Education members and serves a large portion of the City of Riverside, as well as unincorporated areas of Highgrove and Woodcrest.
Riverside Unified School District is the 16th largest school district in California, serving nearly 42,000 students in 50 schools in Riverside, California. RUSD is governed by five Board of Education members and serves a large portion of the City of Riverside, as well as unincorporated areas of Highgrove and Woodcrest.