Teen Volunteers Selflessly Give
BY VIRGINIA LUCERO
Lessons Learned tutors outside of City Hall after receiving certificates of recognition from the City Council and Mayor of Rancho Cucamonga
Young students are volunteering their time and talents and are making a definite impact throughout the Inland Empire. One avenue available to these young volunteers is the city of Rancho Cucamonga’s TRAC (Teen Recreation Activity Club) program for 6th to 12th graders. The programs’ main focus is to offer volunteering opportunities at various non-profit organizations and create life enriching workshops for TRAC participants. The program currently has approximately 20 active participants. The TRAC program is directed by Jo Ann Gwynn, Community Services Supervisor for Youth and Family Programs. Michelle Dazalla, Community Services Coordinator, Laini Andrade, Program Specialist and additional staff members, Melissa Otine, Rance Hughes and Sabrina Marquez collaborate to locate the organizations and projects for volunteer opportunities. In addition, the TRAC staff continuously brainstorms to find other activities that will enrich the youthful volunteers. Opportunities to volunteer range from helping at an emergency shelter, bagging food at a food bank, visiting a senior retirement home, helping at community events and making dinner at Ronald McDonald House, for its resident families. I Care Shelter Home in Riverside was the recent recipi-
ent of TRAC’s help. The teens cleaned, raked leaves, pulled weeds and other things to beautify the grounds and children’s playground. The teens enjoyed helping at the shelter so much that they unanimously decided to volunteer at the shelter once a month. Recently the volunteers were involved in the Freedom Courtyard dedication ceremony on January 12 in Rancho Cucamonga. Jayson Liggins, who is 14-years-old and attends Alta Loma High School was one of the volunteers who arrived at 6 a.m. to help out at the dedication ceremony. “I enjoy volunteering because it brings joy to me knowing that each and every time I go out into my community, I am making a big difference,” Liggins said. “I enjoy volunteering no matter what event it is.” On January 24, six TRAC members along with four others from the Teen Center volunteered at the GAP (God Always Provides) food bank. They helped to bag food items for distribution to families in need. GAP provides basic food items to approximately 450 families, consisting of an estimated 1,200 individuals, per week. In addition to everything they do, they also baked sugarless cookies and created handmade cards on February 13 in preparation for Valentine’s Day when they