A Decade of Love: What started as a day of volunteerism has evolved into year-round community projects in Lodi
Love Lodi is celebrating 10 years of volunteerism this year, and the event has some 60 projects planned throughout the city.
"It seems like since we've taken the baton and moved to a year-round initiative, we've gained a lot of momentum," event co-organizer Timothy Stewart said. "Before COVID there was a lot of momentum. It's good to see it reignite now."
Love Lodi began in April of 2014 when Capt. Martin Ross from the Salvation Army and more than 100 volunteers undertook a variety of community service projects such as cleaning up schools and repairing front porches.
Every year since that time, volunteers spent the last Saturday in April donating clothes to nonprofits, delivering meals to homebound seniors and clearing Lodi Lake of debris. Stewart and his wife Tara took over as chair persons in 2023, and began implementing year-round volunteer opportunities such as beautification efforts at Lawrence Elementary and Lodi Middle schools in the fall, as well as hosting a backpack drive at Blakely and Hale parks during National Night Out in August.
That year, more than 700 volunteers tackled 70 different projects, and the Lodi City Council proclaimed the last Saturday in April officially "Love Lodi Day."
Stewart said more than 7,500 volunteers have participated in Love Lodi over the course of 10 years, representing a more than $1 million investment in work.
Notable projects lined up this year, he said, include cleaning the Grape Bowl and Heritage School.
Volunteers had already been to the stadium on March 28 to prepare for the Bay Breakers first game of the season. The Bay Breakers are one of 10 teams in the Women's Elite Rugby League, and April 26 will be the second outing to trim trees, pull weeds and clean the parking lot when the season is in full swing.
While volunteers have cleaned several Lodi Unified School District campuses over the last decade, the Heritage project will help prepare the grounds for a new mural to be painted in July, Stewart said.
Volunteers will also be taking to Kofu Park to paint the bleachers and dugouts on the baseball field.
"We're seeing a lot of newer locations for projects," Stewart said. "I'm seeing a lot of newer names, and a lot of newer people and volunteers coming together not only in April, but from spring to fall."
Last year, more than 1,000 volunteers worked on 60 projects, including clearing 20,000 square feet of debris at the World of Wonders Science Museum and donating 10,000 pounds of food to the Salvation Army.
Volunteers also filled 50 potholes with 1,250 pounds of asphalt from the City of Lodi and used four gallons of solution to clean Downtown Lodi streets, among other projects.
Stewart said he would like to have more civic groups and nonprofit organizations adopt schools for projects in the future, and he is planning on holding a "Loving Lodi" dinner in October to honor the different residents and community members who have volunteered over the years.
"This just feels like a great year to honor the volunteers and champion their volunteerism," he said. "That's what Love Lodi is about. We're more than just a city-wide volunteer day. We're a movement that champions volunteerism and leads with love, laying our time, energy and resources down for the good of our city no matter what."
To volunteer for a project this year, visit lovelodi.org.
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