Love Merced dropping September event

Organizing projects for the estimated 1,200 to 1,500 volunteers at Love Merced has become tough, but that’s a good problem to have, according to event organizers.

The day of garbage pickup, painting, yardwork and other projects around town is set for 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Volunteers are asked to sign up before then.

The whole thing will kick off after volunteers meet at the Merced County Fairgrounds, 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. A DJ and Sheriff Vern Warnke are expected to be part of the opening of the day, according to Aubrey Nelson, one of the organizers.

The event has historically been held twice a year. Nelson said the group of organizers has decided to only do the April event from here on out. “It’s very difficult to plan twice a year,” she said.

She said dropping the September version of the cleanup effort is nothing to be sad about, as the spring one has always been larger and more successful. The change will also allow organizers to plan for the cleanup all year.

About 800 people have signed up for projects citywide so far. Nelson stressed that other volunteers should sign up ahead of time because it makes the start much smoother on the morning of the event.

Love Merced is a structured way to get people out of their homes for a few hours to participate in volunteer work. There are cleanup projects for Bear Creek, Rahilly Park, the fairgrounds themselves, and several other parks and streets.

Nelson said a couple of new projects this year include work planned on the Merced Dog Park and Melissa’s Mini Farm, a Merced farm owned by a retired teacher who also tutors children.

For those less inclined to perform manual labor, there are also “encouragement” projects and places to donate cash or supplies. For example, volunteers at the fairground will collect diapers for those in need in Merced.

Love Merced needs garbage bags, gloves, paper towels and paintbrushes. Nelson said volunteers who can use their trucks to haul trash, or who can bring a lawnmower or other tools, would also be appreciated.

Nelson said those planning to work Saturday should bring gloves and any tools needed for the projects they plan to work on.

A grilled lunch is provided for anyone who gives their time.

Similar events have drawn volunteers in Atwater, Ceres, Delhi, Hughson, Oakdale, Patterson, Riverbank and Modesto, among many other cities in the region.

Photos and updates on upcoming events are available on Love Merced’s Facebook page.

To sign up for any of the projects, go to http://lovemerced.com.

This story was originally published April 12, 2015 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Love Merced dropping September event."