Grossmont’s Conservation Club is planning a campus beautification event in honor of Earth Day on Friday, April 21. Other clubs are also expected to participate in the occasion.

The club is working with facilities to find projects they can engage in that could better the campus.

“It’s a little bit neglected from the time that it was closed over COVID and our facilities crew has been understaffed,” Club Advisor Bonnie Ripley said.

Like in some other industries, hiring has become a more difficult and long process.

“Normally employees of the college would be going around doing these tasks, but we’ve been so short on employees,” Ripley said.

After meeting in the main quad, volunteers in the tidying event will do activities that will help facilities and that most anyone who participates will be able to do such as pulling weeds, raking and mulching.

“We’re hoping that we’ll have enough student club members to help supervise volunteers that kind of know what we’re supposed to be doing,” Ripley said.

After the cleanup is finished, those who participated might have the opportunity to attend the Hyde Art Gallery where the climate change-related exhibit “Climate Reckoning” is on exhibit through April 25.

Volunteers may also be able to participate in an Art Department-hosted screen printing workshop with an Earth Day theme after the cleanup.