The cool spring weather didn’t stop volunteers from beautifying Mill Pond Park in Newington Tuesday for a good cause.
“Really in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Recognizing his passing is 50 years tomorrow, so, we are doing our part, our service for the community and trying to beautify the park,” Raymond Mercado, the Newington Walmart store manager, said.
More than a dozen local store managers and employees, along with some Newington Police Officers, spent Tuesday morning giving back to the community in a day of service and said Martin Luther King Jr. was their inspiration.
“When they reached out to us and said they wanted to take on a project like this in memory of him, of course we couldn't help but want to participate,” Newington Police Community Service Officer, Jamie Desimone said.
The rakes were out and the winter debris was bagged up and thrown away. The group also worked quickly to plant shrubbery and clear out any mess before the rain arrived Tuesday. They were thinking of the spring flowers, but weathered the cool weather in the process.
“I think you can see, see your breath. It's fine though. You know what, it’s good working weather. So it’s around 40 -45 degrees. You're fine. Complain about being cold? Work harder.”
That was the mentality of the volunteers as they raced against the impending rain. Everyone was bundled up in hats, gloves and long sleeves to stay warm.
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“It is early bird, so we are getting out before warm weather comes, so we are managing just fine but it is a little chilly,” Connecticut Walmart market manager, David Ebbeling, said.
