A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE VOLUNTEERS SPRUCE UP AREA SCHOOLS.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Hundreds of volunteers turned out Saturday to help clean, paint and garden at five Palmdale elementary schools as part of the National Make A Difference Day.

The all-day event was organized by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Palmdale, and included volunteers from the company as well as dozens of local high school students, former students and other members of the community.

``This is such a great program and these schools really need our help,'' said volunteer Thomas Medina of Palmdale as he painted classroom doors. ``It really feels good to give something back.''

Although national Make A Difference Day was celebrated on Oct. 25, the Lockheed Martin group postponed the event because of last weekend's Edwards Air Force Base Open House and Air Show.

Saturday's event brought about 500 volunteers to Chaparral, Tamarisk, Manzanita and Yucca elementary schools as well as Mesa Intermediate School.

Volunteers cleaned parking lots, playgrounds, cafeterias and fields and painted stage areas, playground backboards and murals throughout the five campuses. Groups also touched up landscaping to make the schools more appealing.

The event kicked off with a rally that was broadcast by Oasis radio station 105.5 before volunteers broke into groups and headed to their assignments.

Last week, organizers had been given wish lists by the principals of each school and began gathering donated materials and supplies to tackle those tasks.

High school art teacher Kris Holiday contacted some of her former art students about the project and asked if they would like to participate.

A group of them turned out to help paint a mural on a wall in the kindergarten playground at Yucca Elementary. Once just a brick wall, the 4- foot-high, 28-foot-long wall is now a jungle scene rife with colorful parrots, gorillas, giraffes, lions and frogs.

``They just said they were having such a good time, they wanted to know if they could help us again next year,'' said Randy Foster, a Lockheed Martin volunteer who led the Yucca group.

Volunteers included students from Highland, Lancaster, Paraclete, Quartz Hill and Littlerock high schools, the Palmdale Kiwanis Club - who host their own similar event each year - and many community members.

A number of businesses donated supplies.

The event began at 8 a.m., and volunteers worked throughout the day until they had accomplished nearly all of the tasks set before them.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) Volunteers paint the rafters over the entryway at Chaparral Elementary School in Palmdale on Saturday.

(2 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) Student Melissa Walman, 8, cleans a fence at Chaparral Elementary School for Make a Difference Day.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer