Project Challenge helps out at San Tan Mountain Regional Park

This weekend Arline and I had the pleasure of working with a group of kids from Project Challenge, which is a military style educational center in Queen Creek. Unlike it's close counterpart, Canyon State, Project Challenge is a volunteer admission instead of compulsory by the courts.

Our mission Saturday was to:

• Clean up the road of trash leading into San Tan Mountain Regional Park
  
• Clear the area around the visitor center and the memorial of weeds
• Build up the tortoise habitat
  
• But most importantly we wanted to create a "tortoise" out of the engraved pavers that local residents have purchased to help fund the park and feed the animals inside the visitor center.

The young men from Project Challenge really made it all happen. Not only hard working, but very happy to be helping in our community. All of them were kind, courteous, helpful, thoughtful and more than willing to do whatever was asked of them. I can't say enough praise for the them, Larry their instructor and the academy. What a wonderful addition to our area. These kids are committed to community service, so if you are in an organization that could use them we can recommend them highly.

To start this project the guys had to dig down about 6 inches in an area about 8X10 feet. Then they brought in several wheelbarrows of sand from a wash and refilled the area so the pavers could be properly placed. It was a lot of work. After all that then we could start placement of the pavers.

The finished project.

Again, on behalf of Joan and David and Friends of the San Tan Mountain Regional Park we'd like to extend our gratitude for all your help. You guys Rock!