Huntington Beach’s unsung heroes

Tariq Malik

While energy may be in short supply across the state, volunteers

certainly aren’t.

In the midst of National Volunteer Week, which runs from Sunday

through this weekend, officials lauded the hundreds of citizens who

dedicated their time to make Huntington Beach tick smoothly.

“I really cannot say enough for the people who work so hard to make

this city run,” Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff said. “These are people who

almost fall in love with an idea and with their city.”

The city’s library system and senior center combined boast about 500

volunteers, city officials said. And without community-oriented

individuals, the Bolsa Chica would most likely have ended up another

Huntington Harbour, and projects like the Central Library and Central

Park may have never been accomplished, they added.

Some of the unsung heroes of volunteerism work largely behind the

scenes of City Hall, supporting city services and participating on

government boards.

“I just feel like this type of work is necessary,” said Dee Zimmerman,

73, who has been part of the Huntington Beach Police Department’s Retired

Senior Volunteer Program for the last eight years. “I think everyone

should do a little something.”

Zimmerman’s partner, Larry Henderson, 60, said the more than 40

volunteers in the program fill a lot of the low-priority functions of the

police department, freeing up officers to serve the community.

The police department recently graduated its fifth class of senior

volunteers to serve as additional eyes and ears in the community.

Meanwhile, across the Civic Center quad at City Hall,

community-oriented residents have served for years on commissions,

committees and boards, in order to play a part in the city’s operation.

“I think most of these people are here because they want to get

involved,” said city spokesman Rich Barnard, adding that a few may have

political motivations. “But look at the Infrastructure Advisory Board,

those people have spent almost four years of their lives studying the

city’s needs, and it’s amazing to me that they’re so involved.”

Officials said that without the 20 or so citizen groups full of

volunteers chosen by the council, the city would not accomplish half of

the things it does.

Ed Kerins, a longtime planning commissioner, said his participation in

the civic process helps give him a voice in the community that he lives,

works and plays in, a sediment echoed by others who regularly set aside

time to be part of civic process.

“I just enjoy projects, and by serving on these boards it’s an

excellent way to get them done,” said resident Jean Nagy, who sits on the

city’s environmental board and chairs the Shipley Nature Center

committee. “And there’s also the number of people you get to meet through

volunteering, you really feel like you’re part of the community.”

Nagy, who deals in real estate by trade, is also president of the

Huntington Beach Tree Society and constantly seeks out volunteers of her

own to help plant trees around the city.

“I just find it fun,” she said.

FYI: This weekend marks the end of the National Volunteer Week. Friday

through Sunday are Volunteer Connection Days for the Orange County

Volunteer Center. Here are some of the center’s projects going on in Surf

City throughout the weekend:

The Adult Day Services of Orange County , at 9451 Indianapolis Ave.,

is looking for six volunteers to help plant low root vegetables and herbs

in two gardening carts Friday. Work begins at 10:30 a.m. and runs until 1

p.m. Information: (714) 593-9630.

The Children’s Bureau of Southern California will be repainting its

family center meeting room and child care area Friday and Sunday. The

room is traditionally used for parenting classes, support groups and

counseling sessions. Eight volunteers are needed, with a minimum age of 8

years old. The project begins at 8:30 a.m. and runs through 12:30 p.m. at

17241 Oak Lane.

Information: (714) 375-5068.

Christmas in April is holding a ‘2001 Rebuilding Day’ Saturday to

rehabilitate 50 low-income homes of elderly and disabled Orange County

homeowners. About 2,000 volunteers are needed, age 14 and older, with

project locations available through request. The projects start at 7 a.m.

and conclude at 5 p.m.

Information: (714) 667-8174.

The Huntington Beach Public Library & Cultural Center is looking for

15 volunteers to help clean and repair library books Sunday. The project

includes shelving books, removing due date stickers and replacing sort

code labels. There is no minimum age limit, and the three-hour project

begins at 1 p.m. at 7111 Talbert Ave.

Information:(714) 375-5033.