On Sunday, April 13, 2026, from 8:45 am to 12:15 pm, volunteers participated in a general clean-up at Kissena Park for their 221st event.
During the event, we focused on clearing large amounts of leaves from the grasslands and sidewalks. We used tools such as rakes, shovels, and brooms to gather leaves into piles, especially targeting areas where the leaves were thick, wet, and stuck to the ground. These areas required extra effort because the leaves were heavy and often layered tightly together. We worked in coordinated groups, where some members raked leaves into piles, others shoveled and transferred them into bags, and others held bags open or carried them to the garbage van. This organized system allowed us to maintain a steady pace and handle the large workload efficiently. In some sections, we also used a large fiber pad to move heavy amounts of leaves over longer distances, which required teamwork and communication to complete effectively.
By the end of the event, we had collected over 436 bags of leaves and trash, demonstrating the size and scope of the cleanup effort. In addition to leaf removal, we focused on clearing paths and sidewalks to make the park safer and more accessible to visitors.
Our work had a significant environmental impact. Large volumes of wet leaves had accumulated in particular spots, resulting in damp conditions beneath that attracted insects and could harm the ecology. The dense layers of leaves also covered the grass, obstructing sunshine and air, which can harm or kill it over time. By cleaning these piles, we helped to reestablish better conditions for grass growth and eliminated habitats for harmful pests, making the park cleaner and safer for the community.
This experience required strong collaboration, communication, and physical effort. We learned the importance of teamwork and environmental responsibility, and how even small actions can contribute to a larger positive impact. Moving forward, we hope to continue participating in similar community service events and further improve our ability to work efficiently as a team while protecting the environment.
Overall, the event was both productive and meaningful. We contributed significantly to park maintenance, improved environmental conditions, and increased our collaboration abilities. We would like to thank all the volunteers and parents, especially park advisers Ada and Leroy, for contributing their time and effort to make this event successful.
Our Volunteers:
1. Jia Qi Liu (Angela): 3.5 hours
2. Alfred Liu : 3.5 hours
3. Sophia You : 3.5 hours
4. Stephanie You : 3.5 hours
5. Ioknor Lin : 3.5 hours
6. Ioklee Lin : 3.5 hours
7. Iokseng Lin : 3.5 hours
8. Abby Zheng : 3.5 hours
9. Kobe Zheng : 3.5 hours
10. Kaisa Wu : 3.5 hours
11. Kaden He : 3.5 hours
12. Ryan Zheng : 3.5 hours
13. Zhiheng Zhou : 3.5 hours
14. Vicki Lin : 3.5 hours
15. Liam Cheung : 3.5 hours
16. Sophia Gao : 3.5 hours
17. Henry Jiang : 3.5 hours
18. Adrian Jiang : 3.5 hours
19. Luke Chen : 3.5 hours
20. Ruolin Gao : 3.5 hours
21. Haoze Gao : 3.5 hours
22. Ivan Cao : 3.5 hours
23. Evan Li : 3.5 hours
24. Amy Liu : 3.5 hours
25. Ziqi Liu : 3.5 hours
26. Amanda Wang : 3.5 hours
27. Eason Lin : 3.5 hours
28. Sophia Xu : 3.5 hours
29. Anthony Xu : 3.5 hours
30. Vincent He : 3.5 hours
31. Enda Zheng : 3.5 hours
32. Tian Zhu Xie : 3.5 hours
33. Zimeng Li : 3.5 hours
34. Rui Zhu : 3.5 hours
35. Yuhan Lin : 3.5 hours
36. Matthew Lin : 3.5 hours
37. Gina Gao : 3.5 hours
38. Anson Gao : 3.5 hours
39. Austin Li : 3.5 hours
40. Yiming Chen : 3.5 hours
41. Paxton Xu : 3.5 hours
42. Nerissa Xu : 3.5 hours
43. Albert Tang : 3.5 hours
44. Nicky Wong : 3.5 hours
45. YuYan Fan : 2.5 hours
46. Menghan Yao : 2 hours
Parent Adviser Team:
Fannie Li: 4.5 hours
Karen Liao: 4.5 hours
Faye Liu: 4.5 hours
Report Written by: Kaisa Wu
Reviewed by: Jia Qi (Angela) Liu
