On the bright and chilly morning of Sunday, November 12th at 9:45AM, approximately 50 Buddhist Youth of Lingyen Mountain Temple headed out with their rakes to clear the fallen leaves on the nearby sidewalks as well as the front lawns of participating neighbors.

This annual neighborhood leaf-raking service is part of the temple’s commitment to community service, and is organized by the temple’s Buddhist Youth groups. Volunteer leaders and parents of the youth group members also came out on this day to support the group and help take care of the environment.

After introductions and safety instructions, everyone geared up with gloves, rakes, and big bags and was ready to go. They walked with their groups to their assigned locations and cleared more than 30 bags of crisp fallen leaves, that were then hauled onto a truck and delivered by volunteer drivers to be used as organic fertilizer in the orchard.

The day wasn’t over yet! They headed back just in time to warm up with some hot chocolate and continue with their Sunday service duties at the temple. This activity was a great way to connect with the community while improving the environment at the same time. Thank you to all who participated!