Two of Helper’s most enthusiastic volunteers have covered a lot of ground and recruited quite a crew to assist them in making the town a nicer place, the Helper City Council heard recently.
Nieda Garcia and Lois Giordano’s reported to the council at the Jan. 17 meeting on the progress of their Helper beautification committee. The dynamic duo first approached the city council in November with their idea for cleaning up the town.
“Lois and I have walked the city and the cemetery taking pictures,” Garcia said. “Now we will be able to show before and after photos.”
While the council members admitted that the town was rather short on resources, the women’s idea seemed to garner overwhelmingly moral support from city leaders.
“You have the city council’s appreciation and support,” Councilman Dean Armstrong said at the November meeting.
At the Jan. 17 meeting the ladies got more than just kudos from Armstrong, who volunteered to help them try and find some grant money for the committee.
Despite the lack of up-front funding for the town-wide project the women had quite a bit to report at the last council meeting, including an outpouring of support from residents, business owners and community organizations and groups.
The litany of volunteers, actions and plans included:
• The Clampers cleaning up and cutting a tree in their alleyway
• The ditch at St. Anthony’s was cleaned up.
• Pudge Nielsen is designing a “Welcome to Helper” sign that will incorporate a railroad and mining theme.
• Actions to include the Knights of Columbus and LDS youth groups.
• Tapping Helper Junior High School students to create some artistry in store windows.
“We have tried to include everyone in town,” Garcia said. “But we need donations.”
Garcia asked the council if it was possible to print something on the back of the light and water bills asking for donations.
Mayor Mike Dalpiaz told the women that it wouldn’t be likely they could solicit donations for the committee on the bills.
He explained it could set off a fire storm of requests from every group for the same consideration.
Armstrong suggested that perhaps some funds could come from the Helper Community Development Fund and Garcia recommended that each of the council members skim a bit off their personal budgets.
However, neither of those ideas seemed feasible, according to Dalpiaz.
“Every cent is budgeted,” he said.
Though he did not quash the possibility of Garcia and her posse making a formal request to the city for a specific amount of money.
“Nieda you need to make requests, say to us ‘I need $500,'” Dalpiaz said. “I am not saying no.”
And the committee picked up one more volunteer at the meeting.
“There is grant money out there,” said Armstrong. “I will spearhead the effort to get some grants.”
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