Mayor's Welcome

Mayor Anne JohnstonI also call upon each of you to become part of a city-wide volunteer corps to work on improving some part of our city that you care deeply about. Become part of what we’re calling VISTAS (Volunteers in Service to Aid Stockton). I’m sure that each of you have some particular thing that bothers you---maybe continuous graffiti on a nearby neighborhood fence, or a street median that begs for landscaping, or a tree that needs tender loving care. You choose a project that means something special to you and make it happen. You can adopt-a-block, adopt-a-park, adopt-a-tree, start a neighborhood watch, become a library literacy tutor or community center volunteer, to name just a few. Some of your neighbors who are doing just that are:

  • John Ferraiolo who adopted the palm trees along Pacific Avenue near the Calaveras River and took responsibility for their trimming and care.
  • Richard Kolze who has facilitated food donations from Holy Cross Methodist Church to the Emergency Food Bank for many years.
  • Harvey Gottlieb who is an Adult Library tutor, bringing the gift of literacy to adults in our community.
  • Kari Burr, with Friends of the Lower Calaveras, who organizes river clean-up events.
  • Mike Poe from Lowe’s Home Improvement who donates smoke detectors to the Stockton Fire Department to install in homes needing fire protection without financial resources.
  • Bill Stewart at the Church of the Presentation who formed a church parking lot patrol when vandalism and theft began during church services last fall and there hasn’t been a problem since.
  • Roy Hoggard who heads up a Neighborhood Watch program in the West Lane/Alpine area that is a model for keeping a neighborhood safe and neighbors connected by more than a street passing through their neighborhood.

Today we cannot rely upon others to take care of our city. Each of us must take individual responsibility in helping to keep our city safe, clean, and prosperous. We each have the power to make a difference---a profound difference if we work together---to be a community that cares. A community that cares about our neighborhoods, our schools, and each other. Our power is our people---let us unleash this greatest resource to improve our lives and the life of our city.

If you are interested in being a part of the solution in Stockton, interested in adopting a school or school program, or becoming a VISTAS volunteer, please leave a business card with the volunteers at the door as you leave today. We will call you to help find the perfect match for your talents and your enthusiasm.

I leave you with the words that have inspired me throughout my life of service from Peace Corps teaching in Iran to reading books to children in our schools:

The words come from President John Fitzgerald Kennedy who said: ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. If each of us can do our small part to improve our city, we will build a community that will be a model of collaboration and partnership---a city that truly is an All America City in every way.

Thank you.

Mayor Ann Johnston
City of Stockton

 

 

Words of
Wisdom

 

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Mahatma Ghandi.