Local Students To Clean Up Empty Lot For Dogs

Twenty students at Marywood-Palm Valley High School will volunteer to clean up an empty lot next to the Animal Samaritans shelter in Thousand Palms on Saturday.

The goal of this project, which was put on by the College Scholarship Federation program at the school, is to create a safe outdoor space for volunteers and the shelter dogs they walk, according to Barbara Klein, the school's publications director. 

"Volunteers come every day to walk the dogs, but they have to take the dogs on the parking lot, on the streets, and on patches of Astroturf on the very busy intersection of Ramon and Varner,” Klein said. 

“There are safety issues at that intersection, and the animals are panicked and not accustomed to being out. Now the dogs will feel calmer and be safer."

Students will supply their own shovels and gloves and will remove glass and debris from the lot near 72307 Ramon Road in Thousand Palms, Klein said. 

All high school students at Marywood-Palm Valley are required to complete 36 hours of community service each year.

“Our students are delighted to be a part of this worthwhile endeavor,” offers MWPV headmaster Vince Downey. “Giving of their weekend time, making a difference in our community speaks to their character and dedication to service.  They epitomize what Marywood-Palm Valley strives to instill in each of our students.”