CLEARLAKE ?Students at Burns Valley Elementary School (BVES) received a surprise when they got to school on Wednesday morning.
Where students once played among dirt and star thistle, they found a field of green grass.
More than 700 Personal Success Institute (PSI) volunteers hailing from all parts of the world created a massive workforce Tuesday night that resulted in a new soccer field for the students of BVES.
“The area has been closed off for the past three weeks,” Konocti Unified School District Community Coordinator Harriet Rogers said. “They have just been waiting and Wednesday when they come to school they”ll see a new soccer field.”
Brigade lines comprised of hundreds encompassed the prepped field creating an assembly line for laying sod. With music blaring, smiling volunteers committed to the betterment of humankind worked enthusiastically in what seemed more of a party than a labor.
“What you have gathered here are people from all over the world. They come from Japan, Canada; they are doctors, lawyers, people from all walks of life from 18 to 86-years-old,” Shirley Hunt, PSI president said. “We work with them on contributing to the family, the community, which ultimately ripples out to the nation.”
PSI World is a 36-year-old non-profit organization based in High Valley, Clearlake Oaks.
Thousands of service projects are accomplished by PSI volunteers each year. KUSD has benefited from several. “We”ve been doing projects with High Valley for years and this is by far the largest. We have 700 volunteers here,” Rogers said. “I”m so excited.”
KUSD Maintenance Director Dana Moore said he can hardly count how many projects he”s done with the organization. “This is about my 25th project with High Valley. This is the first with ?Principica.” These are all leaders,” he said. “We try to do a project at every school site.”
“Principica” is PSI”s annual convention, which brings together graduates of the organization”s women”s and men”s leadership programs.
Typically, the annual gathering consists of lectures by keynote speakers, socializing and networking.
This year, leaders decided to spring a project on the conference attendees. “We usually don”t have a project at our annual meeting,” Courtney Hoch, project coordinator said. “But, we thought ?what if we got a project involved and this many people come along?””
Moore said PSI”s contribution saves the school district about $15,000. Prior to Tuesday night”s work effort, Moore”s maintenance crew prepped the grounds and installed a new sprinkler system.
Moore also worked closely with PSI representatives to ensure all their needs were met when they arrived at BVES to do the work. “It was a huge undertaking to make this happen,” he said.
Volunteers working the job did so with obvious joy. Navy Commander Burt Carlock, interrogation instructor, said that a friend had recommended PSI to him. He said a month or so after he inquired, he got his girlfriend, who later became his wife, to participate. “People don”t realize how fun giving back is,” he said.
Rod Walz, owner of a Fortune 500 company, said that involvement in PSI has become a family endeavor. Joined by his wife, son and daughter-in-law, Walz said, “We”ve been very blessed in our lives. This is a wonderful way to give something back. I used to be a teacher and this really has a special meaning for me.”
Opportunities for PSI World participation are available all over the world.
Youth programs are also offered. For more information visit the Web site at www.psi_world.org/.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
