Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by Christian Del Rosario

Kent Salmond (left) paints while Bishop Charles Walton affixes a plaque at the Los Gatos Museum of Art and Natural Science. They were among many local volunteers contributing time to their community during the Mormons' Worldwide Pioneer Heritage Service Day.

Mormons celebrate history and community

By Suzy Ramirez

In keeping with a tradition of service, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Los Gatos joined more than 20,000 worldwide congregations of the church in dedicating a day to their local communities on July 19.

On Worldwide Pioneer Heritage Service Day, church members donated150 hours to their communities in celebration of the Pioneer Sesquicentennial--the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first Latter-Day Saint pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah in July 1847.

History tells how Brigham Young led a small band of pioneers across the Great American Plains and the Rocky Mountains to the remote Valley of the Great Salt Lake. The purpose of their journey was to gain religious freedom, and their path became known as the Mormon Trail.

The community project, designated by town officials at the request of church officials, brought together the Los Gatos congregation to provide improvements to the Los Gatos Museum of Art and Natural History on Tait Avenue. More than 100 volunteers divided their hours into four project days.

On the first day, volunteers pulled old vegetation and pruned trees and bushes around the museum. The second and third days were used for preparing the building to be painted. On June 19, the fourth day, volunteers painted the museum with paint supplied by the town.

The Los Gatos volunteers exceeded the required 150 hours, logging in 250 hours total. "Everyone was proud of the top-notch job done and walked away with pride and a feeling of accomplishment," said project coordinator Scott Goodsell.

Goodsell said there was special importance in renovating the town museum because the museum itself has historical meaning, much like the Mormon sesquicentennial.

According to Teri Jones, director of public affairs for local Latter-Day Saints congregations, the heritage service day was designated by Mormon Church leaders as a worldwide community service day in commemoration of the historic trek. Latter-Day Saints throughout the world, including Africa, parts of Europe, the Philippines and Australia, took part in giving back to their local communities.

The local communities in the Saratoga stake (chapter), including Saratoga, Los Gatos, Cupertino, Campbell and Monta Vista, joined together for the Mormon Pioneer Sesquicentennial Celebration on July 26 at the Latter-Day Saints' church, located on Allendale Avenue in Saratoga.

The community at large attended the educational family event, celebrating and participating in pioneer games, learning to quilt, making wood carvings and watching pioneer dancing and singing. There was also a children's pioneer parade and a chance to take family photos in front of a pioneer handcart.

Chapter President John B. Ludwig, appearing as Brigham Young at the celebration, gave Young's actual farewell address to the Mormon Battalion troops as they began their march from Kansas to Texas and finally to San Diego.

Additionally, Saratoga Mayor Gillian Moran presented a city proclamation recognizing July 24 as "Worldwide Pioneer Heritage Service Day" during the celebration.

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