San Marcos, CA – The City of San Marcos will hold its sixth annual Volunteer Improvement Beautification Event (VIBE) on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 8 am to 3 pm. The VIBE program will revitalize a series of homes in a local San Marcos neighborhood and will crown the effort with the installation of a California Native Victorian Garden at Walnut Grove Park.
Landscape designer Greg Rubin (a San Marcos native), the San Marcos Historical Society, Vallecitos Water District and United We Paint have developed a landscape design to complement two existing historical homes at Walnut Grove Park. The design elements include an educationally themed California native garden containing a gazebo and multiple benches constructed of recycled materials. Additional materials include native trees and plantings known for their fire-retardant and water conserving qualities.
Volunteers will construct the garden during the one-day VIBE event along with the other home maintenance projects planned throughout the day. The City provides all volunteers with a breakfast snack, beverages, lunch, music, an official volunteer t-shirt, volunteer certificate and pictures. Last year’s event attracted a record number 450 volunteers.
Karl Schwarm, Director of Housing & Human Services explains, “We are especially proud to introduce an eco-friendly VIBE this year. The City of San Marcos is always striving to educate our residents on the importance of water conservation and utilizing renewable resources. The garden provides an educational and informative platform for all those that visit Heritage Park. The ecofriendly garden in combination with the revitalization of homes makes this the most complete VIBE to date.” The City is collaborating with United We Paint to implement the event. United We Paint is a volunteer organization that provides home makeovers to the most deserving families. United We Paint Executive Director Jeff Zotara states, “Our partnership with the City of San Marcos continues our steadfast mission to provide prosperity and hope to the most deserving recipients. The result is a warmer and more inviting living environment for the community and the families that call San Marcos home.”
