The Berkeley Project Team volunteers at the Firestorm Memorial Garden – Sunday, October 8, 2023!
For the second time this year, the North Hills Community Association has had the good fortune of working with The Berkeley Project team to help us with maintaining the NHCA’s gardens. There were a couple of returning volunteers who had worked with us earlier at the Gateway Garden, but this time we worked at the Firestorm Memorial Garden, next door to the Bentley School.
Organizing this event started way back in August, when I first made contact with the new Berkeley Project Community President, Tiffany Zhuo. College students are busy with all kinds of activities, not to mention challenging class and study schedules, but Tiffany was great to work with and made time to make this event happen. We kept in close contact as she organized the group of volunteers, prepared them for the day and delivered them on time as planned!
On Sunday, October 8, about two dozen Cal Berkeley students took a bus to the corner of Claremont & Ashby and then walked over to Sotheby’s parking lot where we met up to shuttle over to the Firestorm Memorial Garden. After arriving, Dan gave a brief overview of the Firestorm Memorial Garden, how it came about and what the garden meant to the neighborhood.
We suited up with safety vests, gloves and tools and proceeded to tackle a large mountain of mulch! Buckets and wheel barrels were used to transport and drop small mounds of mulch throughout the garden, while waiting teams of individuals were at the ready to spread the mulch evenly throughout the garden. The energetic volunteer team buzzed through the mulch pile and finished in record time! This is the last phase of our maintenance plan at Firestorm, which will help prepare the garden for the winter.
After taking a short water and snack break, one of the Cal students organized groups of 4 to logistically established drop off points – most went back home to study, and some went to McDonalds to refuel after a strenuous morning. It was fun to work together with a focused common cause and to be a part of the camaraderie that they shared.
We love working with the Berkeley Project Team and are grateful that they chose to spend their Sunday morning in the garden with us. Thank you Berkeley Project for your continued partnership!
Vicki Oliveira / Garden and Events Chair / North Hills Community Association
