Church teens get it cleaned up

Barry Porterfield |, Pauls Valley Daily Democrat, Okla.
·2 min read

May 1—By Barry Porterfield

A fresh coat of paint and a couple of fixed up places to sit in Wacker Park became a mission indeed possible for a group of Pauls Valley church teenagers just hoping to help.

More than a dozen teens from the Beaty Baptist Church youth group and others were looking for community service projects, and they found one that helps with cleanup efforts that include the local park.

Bonnie Meisel, who is not only Pauls Valley's vice mayor but an active volunteer with the Samaritans of Pauls Valley food pantry, actually read a newspaper article and learned about the church's new service effort called Mission Possible.

"I read in the paper the church was wanting to do service projects, so I called them," Meisel said.

"The teens painted both of those bathrooms, the trim, everything, and then completely rebuilt two benches," she said, referring to the whole new look for the two park restrooms and refurbished benches as the project work came on Saturday, April 27.

"The pastor and youngest members of the church walked through the park and picked up trash.

"This is their first project and they're wanting to do more. It was very successful with their help."

Meisel is doing her part to help Pauls Valley get some parts of town cleaned up in connection with the Great American Cleanup and Keep Oklahoma Beautiful efforts.

A grant from OG&E help pay for last weekend's beautification project, Meisel said.

One day before the park work, church teens went around Pauls Valley collecting food being donated to the Samaritans pantry, which helps Garvin County residents in need.

With this first phase of the local beautification efforts now done, Meisel said up next will be a more general pick up of trash in some sections of Pauls Valley.

"In May we will clean up all roads leading into town and the (downtown) bump outs," she said.

"I've been contacting local businesses and asking them to cleanup some areas of the town. I'm asking the businesses close to (Interstate 35) to cleanup the area in front of their businesses. It's looking pretty good out there."