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	Mormons Join Together For Community Work Projects Eric Monroe and Todd McMaster paint the Kit Carson Park’s "snake" in Escondido When the Mormon Army Battalion reached the Pueblo of San Diego on January 29, 1848, the first thing they did was to provide service and build friendships with the resident Californios in what is now the area of Old Town San Diego. The Army Battalion made up of hundreds of men and women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, taught the locals to fire bricks, dig better wells, and to line them with the bricks to enhance the cleanliness of the water. They white washed the buildings of San Diego and built the first U.S. Courthouse in California (a replica now stands in Old Town). The members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) continue with this same tradition of serving in their communities. On Saturday, May 8, 2010, more than 60,000 members of their faith throughout the State of California worked on over 300 project to beautify and renew City, County, Regional, and State Parks in our financially burdened State. In San Diego County alone, 5000 volunteers worked for a total of 17,500 man hours. Projects in North County included Guajome and Brengle Terrace Parks in Vista, Dixon Lake and Kit Carson Park in Escondido, The San Pasqual Battlefield, the San Diego River Project, beach clean-ups, and in the Ramona asrea, portions of the Cleveland National Forest. One volunteer, Renee Pate stated, “this is just one meaningful way we can give back to our community.” Volunteers of all ages, babies in back packs to senior citizens put on their work gloves, and hats to beautify our local park lands. In addition to smaller service projects throughout the year by local congregations, the LDS Church plans on making Mormon Helping Hands Day an annual California statewide service day.   Photo above, Mormon Helping Hands Volunteers gather to work at Vista’s Brengle Terrace Park;