More than a dozen volunteers appreciated Mother Nature’s cooperation on Saturday morning, July 31, when they showed up at Beaumont Middle School (BMS) to help clean up the grounds around the school. Instead of temperatures well into the nineties forecasted just a few days before, overcast skies and temps in the upper 60s were ideal for working outside. The work session was rescheduled due to the historic heat wave in late June and was facilitated by the BMS PTA (shout-out to John Thomas for his directing prowess) with a helping hand from BWNA in recruiting volunteers. Crews with mowers, edgers, pruners, and general weeding and raking tools spread out over the grounds, filling up countless bags that made their way into a designated dumpster. A 20-year alum of BMS stopped and chatted for a brief time, reminiscing about his days at the school and thanking the volunteers for their efforts. Neighbors who hadn’t had an opportunity to interact with each other since the onset of the pandemic used the outdoor event to catch up on family and friends and to make new acquaintances.
That said, it’s fair to ask what role, if any, the school district assumed for maintaining the grounds during the summer. The answer is that Portland Public Schools contracted out the landscaping needed for the main planting bed located on northwest corner of 42nd and Fremont, but maintenance of the rest of the grounds was totally dependent on volunteers. While much progress was made on that Saturday in July, more sessions are planned for August to get the school ready for the arrival of students.