I Love West Jordan Day planned for April

By Natalie Conforto | [email protected]

Known as Comcast Cares Day last year, I Love West Jordan Day on April 29 will be the seventh annual citywide service project in West Jordan. 

Organizers are planning cleanups in several areas throughout the city. The main service project will be at Veterans Memorial Park. A secondary project, led by Councilman Dirk Burton, will be at Teton Estates Park. Residents are also encouraged to organize their own beautification projects.

Volunteers will spread playground wood chips, pull weeds, pick up trash, clean out dry washes and storm drains, lay 1,500 square feet of sod and plant trees. Shovels and trimmers will be available for volunteers to use that day, but participants are encouraged to bring their own, if possible. Project planners also encourage attendees to bring work gloves and rakes.

“Come with gloves and a smiling face, and we’ll take you,” Event Manager Ashleigh O’Connor said. 

The event changed its name back to "I Love West Jordan Day" from "Comcast Cares Day" in 2017. The name varies depending on if Comcast is partnering with the city. Comcast sponsored West Jordan's beautification event in 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016, but Comcast will be concentrating on other cities this year. The company plans to sponsor cleanup efforts in every city on the Wasatch Front.

“We will not be hosting a project in West Jordan City this year, but hope to partner with the city on Comcast Cares Day again in the near future,” Deneiva Knight, of Comcast, stated. “West Jordan City has been a great community partner.” 

Knight reported that 1,083 West Jordan volunteers participated in 2016 and that West Jordan received more than $20,000 in grants for joining the effort. 

No matter the name, organizers are confident that I Love West Jordan Day will be well attended because residents like to serve. Those who have participated enjoyed helping, and they tend to come back. The numbers who attend have increased year after year. 

Comcast Regional Director of Project Management Miles Jensen lives in West Jordan, and he expressed his pride for his city. 

“The Comcast Utah market is one of the smaller markets across the company, but we have always led the way in the number of volunteers that participate in these community service activities,” he said. “I love being able to say that I live in a place where everyone loves to serve one another, and that’s demonstrated by how many people show up to these events every year, rain or shine.”

In past years, volunteers at Comcast Cares Day concentrated on beautifying schools inside and out. Jensen and his family planted trees and shrubs at an elementary school last year. 

“It turned an older school into a nice-looking establishment,” Jensen said. “Not only was it amazing to work alongside my neighbors and fellow West Jordan-ites, but it also made me happy to know that we were making a difference the employees and kids at this school.” 

Kenny Frederick, who volunteered at Sunset Ridge Middle School, recalls washing desks.  

“It was fun,” he said. “I spent an hour to two hours tops, and I got a free shirt and Little Caesar’s pizza.” 

Others planted flowers outside the school and pulled weeds.

Anne Forester helped at Veteran’s Memorial Park planting trees. She enjoyed meeting new people and working together to beautify and improve her city.  

“I love living in West Jordan, and it's nice to see its residents care about where they live and that they want to make a difference in the community,” Forester said.

While the volunteers are giving back with service, I Love West Jordan Day’s organizers plan to give back to them again by providing T-shirts, secured by several local corporate sponsorships. 

Volunteers can meet at the Veterans Memorial Park large pavilion, 8030 South 1825 West, or at Teton Estates Park, 9380 S. Targhee Drive, at 8 a.m. on April 29. The event will end around noon. 

Further details are available at the new city website, westjordan.utah.gov. To sign up or to get your project on the list, email [email protected].