Volunteers stood in front of six local grocery stores collecting canned goods to donate to the Burbank Salvation Army, Family Service Agency of Burbank and the Burbank Temporary Aid Center.
Hank Diel, a member of the Burbank Civic Pride Committee who helped organized the food drive, said the event was especially important amid the protracted recession. And even though he said he was worried that tough financial times would keep people from donating, volunteers appeared to be doing well.
“The economy is down, but we are doing better than expected,” Diel said.
Glendale and La Crescenta residents also took part in the annual celebration of community service.
Residents of all ages spanned Foothill Boulevard on Saturday morning picking up cigarettes and pulling weeds along the roadway.
“It’s dirty work, but if it helps the environment, then its worth it,” said 14-year-old Hailey James, who along with several friends from her Girl Scout troop filled trash bags with cigarette butts and other litter. Picking up cigarette butts is important to keep them from going down storm drains and into the ocean, officials said.
The trash pick-up was one of several community beautification efforts that more than 200 volunteers took part in for the 16th annual Foothill Community Clean Up in conjunction with Make a Difference Day.
Other foothill beautification efforts included pulling weeds and scattering poppy seeds at three strips of land.
“Maybe in the spring, we’ll have poppies instead of weeds,” said Sandra Rodriguez, a program coordinator for Glendale Neighborhood Services, which helped sponsor and organize the event with the Committee for a Clean & Beautiful Glendale and the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Volunteers also filled sandbags for residents preparing against potential mudflows this winter. By noon, hundreds of sandbags were stacked at Dunsmore Park.
