“Bloom beautifully dangerously loudly. Bloom softly, however you need. Just bloom.”
- Rupi Kaur -
 Clean Sweep is another one of my favorite days of the year. It warms my heart to see hundreds of you out and about in City Parks, downtown, and the spaces in between, ready to donate time and energy to beautify this great city of ours. Clean Sweep is about community coming together around Earth Day, demonstrating support and commitment to the environment – and to one another.
 This year's Clean Sweep will feature a handful of projects across the city with focus on removing invasive plants and cleaning up flower beds and areas at Rotary Park, Mill Pond Park and Cedar Lanes Park.
Beautification projects will also be going at Mountain View Cemetery and Mary Olson Farm, and plenty will be happening at Game Farm Park, including tree planting, landscaping and planting annuals.
 Planting projects will also be happening at Veterans Memorial Park and they’ll be spreading mulch in the Backyard idea Garden, Bi-Centennial Park, GSA Park, and the Postmark Center for the Arts - the planter boxes along Main Street, too.
Volunteers at Lakeland Hills Park will be extending a drainage bed. While volunteers at Sunset Park will be removing invasive plants and landscaping.
 Online registration closes Wednesday, April 17 at midnight. Registrations will not be accepted April 18 or 19, so please make sure to register early. Volunteers interested in participating but have not registered, can register on-site at Les Gove Park on April 20, 2024 at 9 a.m.
 I was excited to learn our neighbors in the City of Kent are hosting a Space for All STEM Festival, a collaborative effort between the City of Kent's Race and Equity Team, Economic and Community Development (ECD) department, Kent School District, and Kent Community Foundation. This event aims to inspire and educate the community about the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), highlighting the importance of diversity and inclusivity in these fields.
The Kent festival will provide elementary and middle school students with an engaging educational experience focused on STEM.
The Space for All Weekend kicks off on May 3rd with a free screening of “A Million Miles Away” at Kherson Park, a movie based on former astronaut Jose M. Hernandez's journey from migrant worker to astronaut.
 Tuesday afternoon, I had the opportunity to sit in on a couple of staff meetings with Finance and Public Works. I always learn a lot from these talented team members, and it’s fun to get to hear what they’re working on and how they’re doing. On my way back from the Annex Building to City Hall, I met a gentleman and his granddaughter Rosie. Rosie is five and visiting from out of state. They were on a walkabout downtown – enjoying the sunshine and time together exploring. I stopped to talk with them for a while.
Rosie gave me the sweetest and best hug while we were chatting, and then bent down and picked a lovely little flower to give me! Talk about making my day! I was already enjoying the time I’d just spent with the teams, but that just really topped it off. It’s a single, little flower, but when I got back to my office, I immediately placed it in a small glass with water so that I can continue to enjoy it and remember to always have the enthusiasm of a beautiful five year old with the entire world waiting for her!
Saturday is National Sikh Day and April is National Sikh History Month, a time to recognize the holiest Sikh holiday Vaisakhi, one of the most religiously significant days in Sikh history. It commemorates the creation of the Khalsa, a fellowship of devout Sikhs.
Sikhism is the fifth largest world religion with approximately 30 million Sikhs worldwide, including over 1 million in the United States. The City of Auburn recognizes the diversity of our community and afford all residents the opportunity to better understand, recognize and appreciate the rich history and shared experiences within.
From the City of Auburn to you, have a joyous Vaisakhi filled with celebration!
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