Things to do in Sacramento and Beyond: Land Park volunteers get early start Saturday

Volunteers will try to beat the heat on Saturday morning while getting Sacramento's Land Park in better shape.

The Land Park Volunteer Corps will start its monthly work day an hour earlier at 8 a.m. According to coordinator Craig Powell, that early start will let the gardeners take care of many chores before the heat of the day.

Saturday morning's forecast calls for 89 degrees and sunny skies, warming to 95 in the afternoon.

The park helpers already have had a busy summer, Powell said. In June, the corps pruned the bushes adjacent to the park's pony rides and did a "monster trim" of overgrown bushes near the picnic grounds.

"This month, we'll focus on Sutterville Road, cutting ivy and weeds around Funderland, weeding and mulching four formal planting beds and clearing out a neglected bed," Powell said. "We'll also have two roving 'sucker patrols' who will remove tree suckers that are growing like crazy throughout the park, a pond-cleaning crew, two parking lot cleaning crews and a three-person team of power trimmers who will roam the park's walkways, whacking weeds as they go."

More volunteers are always welcome. Bring garden gloves, shovels, hoes and hand tools.

During Saturday's work day, the group also plans to salute Julie Mier, who had served as volunteer coordinator for Sacramento city parks. She recently lost her job due to city budget cuts.

"Julie has given her all to help make the corps and other city park volunteer efforts a success," Powell said.

For more details on the work day or the corps, contact Powell at ckpinsacto@aol.com or (916) 718-3030.