MARYSVILLE — The more that the community can help keep its parks and other resources clean, the more city staff can expand the scope of its work.

That was the message from Mike Robinson, parks maintenance manager for the city of Marysville, as 48 students from the Marysville-Pilchuck and Marysville Getchell high schools pitched in to tidy up the Ebey Waterfront Park April 17, as part of the city’s annual “Clean Sweep” event.

M-P and MG students weeded the park’s landscaped areas, stirred the playground’s beauty bark and picked up litter in the parking lot.

Tammy Caldwell, ASB advisor for MG, noted that the day’s volunteer efforts were part of a Wesco-wide effort, planned by the student body presidents.

“We’re all responsible for taking care of our own communities,” Caldwell said. “We learned our students care about our community, and are willing to step up and take action. We also learned the parks department is willing to help plan events for students and community members to volunteer at.”

Although her students are regulars at the food bank and community gardens, as well as Rotary and Kiwanis events, Caldwell reported that the student body presidents for MG and M-P already have decided to return to the waterfront park next year, a move that gratified Robinson.

“Ebey Waterfront Park is a busy facility year-round,” Robinson said. He elaborated that every hour of volunteer labor equates to $23 an hour in benefits to the city, which allows staff to direct efforts elsewhere.

“We enjoy working side by side with the community, and are fortunate to have great volunteer support in our efforts to keep our community a beautiful place to live, work and play,” he said.

Robinson added that many civic, church and other groups assist the city every year, but touted the opportunity to educate the M-P and MG students about the waterfront park’s facilities, and all that’s required to maintain them.