Community turns out for workday at Clover Park Rotary project - clover park rotary

Clover Park Rotary (Lakewood) and their South Sound Wildlife and Interpretive Center committee Chair, Alan Billingsley, were busy again Saturday morning (October 12th) rebuilding the Center to its former glory.

With a strong contingent of people from the community, including 30 or more Clover Park High students (under the guidance of their Superintendent, Ron Banner), Pierce College students, Northwest Youth Corps, Lakewood Rotary, Lakewood Lions, Lakewood and Steilacoom Kiwanis and other individual citizens looking to be a part of a great project, Billingsley guided the crew in fence staining, clearing scotch broom, planting indigenous flora, clearing indigenous flower beds of weeds and clearing brush.

This one-day effort however, is just a piece of the overall work that has been the “signature project” of Clover Park Rotary (Lakewood) for the last 5 years. Billingsley has found many partners within the community who want to be a part of such a fun and great effort. Besides the groups listed at the beginning of this article, he has routinely found great support from the Boy and Girl Scouts and Pierce College students, as well as using various projects in the Center as special projects for Scouts to obtain their “Eagle” rating.

“Once people see the progress we have made, and understand our overall goal, they really enjoy getting their hands dirty to accomplish a worthwhile outcome,” said Billingsley.

That overall goal of course, is to create a park-like atmosphere that will allow people to enjoy long walks with their dogs, other people, or alone, through a clean prairie in the middle of a city. Something not available to most. “It really is diamond-in-the-rough,” said Billingsley, “and each time we get a group together like this, we knock a little more of the “rough” off the corners.”

If you are interested in donating to this project in time, talent or treasure, you can contact Alan Billingsley at alanb@toolpak.com or through Clover Park Rotary www.cloverparkrotary.org.

Want to give back to your community in a spirit of fellowship? Go to: www.cloverparkrotary.org and go to “Join our club.”