HUMPHREYS GARRISON - Joining millions of people around the world, about 250 members of the U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys community, along with 100 students and adults from Pyeongtaek City, participated in Make a Difference Day by helping to clean up Deog Dong San City Park, in Pyeongtaek, Oct. 23.
According to Denise Chappell, the Army Community Service volunteer coordinator and project officer for the event, "Make a Difference Day is the most encompassing national day of helping others; a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors."
The program was created by USA Weekend Magazine 20 years ago and has become an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of October.
This was the third year in a row that the garrison partnered with the local community to participate in the program.
At the park, volunteers from the Bright Society-Goodwill, Cooperation and Service Shinhan High School Chapter, Pyeongtaek City's Park and Green Belt Management Division and People-to-People International Shinhan High School Chapter, were waiting with gloves and trash bags, ready to get started.
In addition to picking up trash, there was also a need to help build a nicer walking trail, which required some of the volunteers to carry stone and shale, which were leveled out by other helpers. This was used to provide better traction for those who walk the trail on a regular basis.
"Events like this really makes being here in Korea that much better," said Spc. Robert Hewitt, assigned to 4-58th Airfield Operations Battalion. "That's why I like our unit. Whenever events like this happen, we are almost always involved in some way."
Jung Su-jin, a student at Shinhan High School, was surprised by the amount of Family members who turned out. She was "very happy to participate in the event, and would love to join this program again."
(Editor's Note: Arisae Ryu, the Public Affairs Office intern, contributed to this story.)
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