Cody residents moving through town Friday morning probably noticed people with maroon shirts lifting grates on Sheridan Avenue or emerging from the shade of blue spruce trees with bulging trash bags at Dacken Park. But these seemingly strange activities are signs that Cody Cares.
After an unfortunate rain delay, The Cody Rotary Club’s 2nd Annual Cody Cares Day started at 7 a.m. on Friday, June 9. Two dozen people of all ages gathered at Mentock Park, put on their maroon t-shirts, and were assigned their tasks for a morning of community beautification.
Before departing, a trailer full of equipment – trash cans, wheelbarrows, rakes, and shovels – was dispersed to the volunteers. Several local companies – like Black Hills Energy – “donated” employees to assist.
Cody Cares Day is an initiative aimed at promoting volunteerism and community service in the Cody area. Various city parks, playgrounds, and pathways throughout Cody are cleaned, raked, swept, and anything else is needed to show Cody residents take pride in their community.
Cody Rotarian Kody Schlauch – who led one of the volunteer crews – said the work undertaken is mostly “detailed stuff that (the City of Cody) can’t always get to.” But that doesn’t make it any less important – or beneficial.
Forward Cody CEO James Klessens led a small group (including this reporter) to Dacken Park. Within two hours, over three dozen trash bags lined the curb surrounding the park, filled with sticks and pine cones fallen from the massive blue spruce trees planted on the park’s edges.
“Beats working in the office,” Klessens said as he enthusiastically raked pine needles into piles while Big Horn Basin Media Vice President Rita Conners and Sales Executive Autymn Purcell shoveled them into trash cans.
Meanwhile, Brett Whitlock of Whitlock Motors joined the youngest volunteers of the morning as they moved up and down Sheridan Avenue, clearing tree wells and planters in anticipation of the perennial flowers soon to be planted there. At the other end of Cody’s main street, a group was giving the building at the City Park Miniature Golf Course a fresh coat of white paint.
Similar efforts were underway at Hugh Smith and Glendale Parks.
Courtesy Kody Schlauch
Cody Cares Day means a lot of manual labor, all undertaken by Cody residents motivated by their pride in their community. Bringing together community members, businesses, and organizations for a day of service can, has, and will accomplish so much.
Thru words and thru actions, it’s abundantly clear Cody Cares.
(All photos courtesy of Cody Rotary & Kody Schlauch)
