For Immediate Release                                 
September 27, 2001

San José Event to Honor City Volunteers

San José, California – The Mayor’s Second Annual Volunteer Celebration will be held this Saturday, September 29, to recognize more than 10,000 people who currently volunteer for the City of San José.

The event will be held at Discovery Meadow, adjacent to the Children’s Discovery Museum, and will run from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  It will feature music by a local band, “Tiempo” and free food.  Mayor Ron Gonzales will also thank volunteers for the work they do on behalf of the San José community.

"Our dedicated volunteers are among the essential building blocks for strong neighborhoods in San José,” said the Mayor.  “With their outstanding contributions of time, talent, and energy, they help us extend our abilities to better serve the people of San José, and they provide a vital link between City Hall and our community."

The celebration will also focus on recruiting new volunteers to work with the City of San José.  Over 50 programs and eight City departments will be represented at the event, offering a wide range of volunteer opportunities for residents of all ages.

Volunteers can choose to participate in activities such as graffiti removal, reading and literacy programs, community gardening, emergency preparedness, homework centers, senior programs, parks beautification, the annual Holiday Parade, youth and community centers, and Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. 

Youth are especially encouraged to volunteer.  City programs offer an excellent opportunity for high school students to fulfill their community service credits that are now required at many local schools.  Volunteer activities also are an excellent method for young people to learn skills and gain experience that can prepare them for winning jobs and entering college.

The event is free and open to the public.  Sponsors include Wells Fargo, Peggy Sue’s, BFI, Bel-Aire Productions and FiLco.  Free drawings will occur throughout the day, with prizes provided by the Bay Area CyberRays, Raging Waters, the San Jose Giants, the San Jose Sharks, San Jose Symphony and The Tech Museum of Innovation.

            For more information, call (408) 277-2468.

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San Jose City Hall      801 N. First St., San Jose,  CA 95110      tel (408) 277-5131  fax ( 408) 277-3131     www.ci.san-jose.ca.us