Behind the Badge
When the landscaping at Anaheim Fire & Rescue’s Station 10 needed a bit of TLC, the community responded.
Spearheaded by the Love Anaheim movement, a group of volunteers spent April 12 sprucing up the drought tolerant foliage in front of Station 10.
Diana Davis, a volunteer for Love Anaheim, helps clean up the landscape in front of Anaheim Fire & Rescue Station 10.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
They pulled weeds, trimmed shrubs, and planted new drought tolerant foliage.
Station 10 personnel handled some of the work themselves before reaching out to a group better equipped and more trained in the art of landscaping, Station 10 Captain Rob Stuart said.
“I love that they are out here,” Stuart said. “We are so appreciative of their expertise and knowledge. This year we had lots and lots of rain, which is fantastic, but it did bring up a lot of weeds.”
Amie Zeoli of Anaheim Fire & Rescue clears out the weeds and trash from plants during a cleanup in front of Station 10.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Station 10 personnel also wanted the landscaping to look good in preparation for the upcoming Wildfire Preparedness Community Fair on April 27, when neighbors and community members can meet the fire fighters who fought the recent Canyon Fire 2, see the specialized equipment used to battle wildland fires, and learn how to be better prepared for a fire.
The community fair takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27 at Station 10, 8270 E. Monte Vista Road in Anaheim.
Lili Varela, community engagement specialist for Anaheim Fire & Rescue, looks for trash and weeds to pull during a cleanup in front of Station 10.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
“It takes a group to make this happens,” said Natali Rudometkin, community engagement manager for Anaheim Fire & Rescue. “We want to make sure that Anaheim continues to be safe. We want to be proactive instead of reactive with the wildfires and we could not be doing this without the volunteers.”
Love Anaheim, a multifaceted service project group, has approached city officials in the past, expressing their desire to deploy teams of volunteers to perform tasks around the city.
Martin Diaz, a volunteer from Love Anaheim, clears out weeds and dead twigs from plants during a cleanup in front of Station 10.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
“We’re all about spreading goodness, meeting needs, and demonstrating kindness so I’m part of that and all of our folks are part of that,” said Nathan Zug, the director of Love Anaheim who also serves as a chaplain for Anaheim Fire Department . “I love the city. God has put a love in my heart for the city and for people. I’m just loving the city on all levels.”
The Station 10 project was performed by Better Way Anaheim, a subgroup within the Love Anaheim movement that finds volunteer projects specifically for homeless individuals.
Volunteer Diana Davis, left, and Anaheim Fire & Rescue Cadet Nicole Nelson remove the dead twigs from the landscape in front of Fire Station 10.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
The volunteer work is a way to build momentum toward finding permanent employment.
“This is a blessing,” said volunteer Tamara Espy, 57, one of five Better Way Anaheim clients who worked on the Station 10 project. “It’s just doing something and being productive and instead of just hanging out. It gives you a purpose. It gets you going and motivated and keeps you moving forward.”
Better Way volunteers also crafted rustic-looking wood picture frames, which they donated to the station.
Anaheim Fire & Rescue Cadet Nicole Nelson kneels down to clear weeds and twigs from the landscape in front of Station 10.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
“I’m here because I like to give back to the community,” said Better Way volunteer Johnny Payan, 43. “It’s a blessing to be able to come out here and do this.”
Volunteer Dina Davis, 57, has been staying in local shelters after living on her sailboat in Newport Harbor.
Anaheim Fire & Rescue personnel work with Love Anaheim volunteers to spruce up the landscape in front of Station 10 in Anaheim Hills ahead of the Wildfire Preparedness Community Fair event. Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Davis said she prefers human interaction to isolation and has participated in other volunteer projects in Anaheim in the past.
“Being on land and talking to people is wonderful,” Davis said. “It’s helping me to interact with other people. It feels really good to help.”
Anaheim Fire & Rescue Station 10 was gifted a hand-drawn painting with a handmade frame as a gift from Love Anaheim volunteers.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
