4-Year-Old Co-Founds Cleanup Group, 56 Join First Event

When Carly Stine's 4-year-old son Decklan didn't want their first cleanup event to end, she knew they'd started something special.

The Spring Lake Valley mom and her preschooler co-founded High Desert Hands, a volunteer group bringing neighbors together to beautify Victorville, California. On Saturday morning, 56 residents showed up ready to work along the Mojave Riverwalk.

The volunteers collected 50 bags of trash in just a few hours. They hauled away everything from garage door parts and cushions to wheel wells and plastic shelving that had been dumped along the walkway.

Carly and her husband Ashton set up a sign-in stand and provided free coffee and snacks to keep volunteers energized. A local business, Cocina del Sol, donated vegan tamales to fuel the cleanup crew.

First-timers Abraham and Aubrey Rodriguez told reporters they hope to make this a regular commitment. Karen Moore drove in from down the hill specifically to help clean up her son and daughter-in-law's hometown.

The Ripple Effect

What started as one mom teaching her young son about community care turned into nearly five dozen people giving up their Saturday morning. High Desert Hands proves that when someone takes the first step, neighbors will follow.

The group isn't stopping with one event. They've already scheduled their next cleanup for February 21, with the location to be announced soon.

Little Decklan's enthusiasm captured what many volunteers felt. When you work together to transform your neighborhood, the satisfaction makes you want to keep going.