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| Coastsiders honor MLK, Obama with day of service By Greg Thomas [ greg@hmbreview.com ] Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, January 21, 2009 12:24 PM PST Clusters of Coastsiders gathered in neighborhoods from Moss Beach to Pescadero Monday morning under a warm sun to answer the call of President Barack Obama for a day of community service. After a few minutes of coordination, they fanned out and began sweeping away the barriers that have kept them from interacting with neighbors in past years. More than an ode to the efforts of grassroots organizers like Obama and Martin Luther King, Jr., many said they sought to strengthen ties within their local community — volunteer service was just a good excuse. People were able to connect due to networking through organizations like Coastside Hope, Coastside Democrats and Community United Methodist Church and Internet sites Moveon.org and usaservice.org. They were inspired, in part, by the ideals of Obama. Coastside Democrats President Brigid O’Farrell says Obama’s “inspiration, combined with the problems we face,” spark enthusiasm for localized public service among Americans, regardless of party affiliation. “People feel we’re in a different situation — whether they know someone who had their home foreclosed on or who are now unemployed,” she said. “The issues are closer to home than they’ve been in the recent past.” Waging war on indifference, a gang of volunteers, armed with gardening gloves and spray bottles, broke into two- and three-person teams and dispersed on Bloom Lane in Half Moon Bay to spread good will in the homes and yards of elders in need of helping hands. Montara resident Cheri Parr organizes weekly food distribution to the senior community. Monday she coordinated a four-hour cleanup effort, which drew in excess of 40 volunteers, including children, and benefited more than 25 seniors. King and Obama “both add significance and meaning to the need to draw together and service the community,” Coastsider John Rose said while stuffing yard debris into a plastic trash bag in front of Bob Forbes’ apartment. Rose and his wife, Lynette, volunteered to do “light cleaning” for Forbes, a World War II veteran on Bloom Lane whom they’d seen around town but never met. “What’s so cool is we see (Forbes) in the community, so now we’ll be able to see him and say, ‘Hello’ and ‘How’s it going?’” Lynette Rose said. “I like that.” Further south, a handful of folks — middle-schoolers and seniors among them — gathered around a map of the Moonridge housing complex to designate canvassing routes. Self-proclaimed community organizer Mima Sanchez-Parsons and Shirley Holley, a member of Coastside Democrats, rallied people from as far as San Mateo to survey Moonridge residents on their interest in participating in citizenship courses, set to begin later this year. Sanchez-Parsons said she had been planning the effort since October, after she walked door-to-door to register voters for the presidential election and encountered several noncitizens. “We’re getting ready for Obama’s next four years,” she said. “We have to create voters so that we can register them!” Meanwhile, upward of 65 people rolled up their sleeves, planted trees and dug out trash from the sandbox at the playground next to the Puente de la Costa Sur headquarters in Pescadero. “There was a tremendous feeling of excitement and enthusiasm and people were so happy to be of service,” Puente Executive Director Kerry Lobel said. By the end, she added, “they said, ‘Please let us know next time you’re doing this.’” |