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Published on 10/06/1999 All articles from this issue

NOVA volunteers reach out with array of local projects

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Special to the Town Crier

Approximately 100 staff members of NOVA Private Industry Council spent the morning of Sept. 24 working on 12 volunteer projects in the cities of Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Cupertino, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.

These six cities are NOVA's core service area for providing job training and work force development services.

Organizers said the project was conceived as a way for NOVA staff to contribute to the communities in a way other than their daily jobs, to make closer contacts with other community agencies, and to say "thanks" to those cities for their support of NOVA's efforts over the past 16 years.

In Mountain View, activities involved painting and gardening for the Green Pastures home for disabled youth; planting native shrubs along the Stevens Creek Trail; cleanup at Casa SAY, a temporary home for teens; and food preparation at Mountain View Community Service Agency. In Los Altos, one team painted "No Dumping: Flows to Stevens Creek" on curbsides, while another spent the morning weaving tule mats for an exhibit at Deer Hollow Farm.

Other projects included graffiti paint-out in Santa Clara, working with and singing to seniors in Cupertino and Sunnyvale, planting and weeding in a neighborhood garden in Palo Alto, and preparing for Sunnyvale's holiday food and gift drives.

"This was a great opportunity for our staff to reach out into the cities that we serve," said NOVA Director Mike Curran, who spent the morning filling a dumpster at Casa SAY. "We have a truly talented and giving group of people who serve the community every day in very important ways, and this day was a chance to make a difference in a different way."

Sandy Roberts, Casa SAY's director, said, "It helped us so much and really lifted the spirits of our staff. The group made this awful job seem like fun. They were so happy and delightful and eager to get to work."