David Greco (of Marin Covenant) assembled a Christian band made up of members from different congregations that led an early morning joint worship service before participants, representing a dozen congregations, dispersed for the project called “Gift of Love.”
The large number of volunteers was greater than what the organizers had anticipated. Work parties of 50 to 75 people were assembled to clean up seven county parks, where they cleared brush, pulled weeds and picked up litter.
“I’ve worked with the church in Mexico building houses, but it’s nice to be doing something in our own community,” 21-year-old Scott Milholland of Marin Covenant Church told the Marin Independent Journal. Milholland was pulling out invasive, non-native French broom grass at Rush Creek, a tidal marshland park in Novato.
Parks officials called the day a “historic event” – the largest single-group volunteer effort ever. Pastors from the dozen churches have been discussing various ways by which their congregations can work together to benefit the community. Organizers hope to work together on future projects.
Volunteers gathered at Civic Center Park for a barbecue following the event. The churches also presented a $7,000 checks to the Marin Parks and Open Space Department.
