Volunteers honored at Carson Plaza

A special luncheon Saturday at the Carson Plaza Retirement Residence was held to honor several volunteers who help the residents enjoy their stays there.

It is National Volunteer Week and Carson Mayor Ray Masayko joined the groups to recognize the volunteers' service.

The contributions of volunteers throughout Carson city - with youth groups, at the senior center, in service clubs, through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program - contribute to quality of life in the community, Masayko said.

"Most importantly, we are a community that does give back through our volunteers," he said. He added that the donated efforts of volunteers saves the local government a substantial amount in the costs of providing services.

Plaza managers Bob Rethford and Stella Chase said several of the volunteers have been active at the plaza for many years. Some became involved because family members lived their, but stayed on when the family members had moved out of town.

Receiving pins and treats were Elenore Moss and Don Brooks, who lead the weekly sing-alongs while playing piano and trumpet; care giver Maria Rico; Charlene Smith and Gwen Apodaca, whose resistance training exercise program improves the residents' mobility; Marge Walters, who decorates the Plaza's bulletin boards, and Florence Crawford, Ruth Larson and Edith Cotton, the coffee and doughnut hostesses.

Masayko gave the Plaza residents a chance to ask questions and several asked why large boulders and a utility box were permitted to block driver's vision at the corner of Lompa Lane and East College Parkway. Masayko said he would drive by there himself and also have the city's traffic engineers check the situation.

He asked the groups how they felt about the condition of the city's streets and got a largely favorable response. Masayko said that voters' approval of a .25-cent sales tax increase is providing $1.7 million a year for street maintenance.

And he said that opening of the new community swimming pool facilities by Mills Park in about three weeks will provide a therapy pool from which Plaza residents may benefit.