Marines volunteer for beautification project at Ivey Ranch

Photo By Jennifer Brofer | Lance Cpl. Andrea Victor, a Logistics Vehicle System operator for Headquarters Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, clips ice plant during a beautification project at the Ivey Ranch Park Association, Oct. 3. More than 70 Marines from CLR-1 volunteered Oct 3-4 to help transplant the ice plant clippings to a soil embankment located next to the horse stables, which helps prevent soil erosion during the rainy season, and also deters ground squirrels from digging holes in and around the stables. The Marines volunteered in conjunction with Volunteer San Diego.  

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES

10.03.2009

Story by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer 

1st Marine Logistics Group

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — More than 40 Marines from Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, volunteered at the Ivey Ranch Park Association in Oceanside to help out with a beautification project in conjunction with Volunteer San Diego, Oct. 3-4.

Ivey Ranch is a 12-acre horse ranch that provides therapeutic riding for special needs children and adults. The Marines helped out by clipping sections of ice plant to be transplanted to a soil embankment located right next to the horse stables, to prevent soil erosion and also deter ground squirrels from digging holes in and around the horses' stables and turning it into a "squirrel hotel."

"It feels good to help. It helps out kids with special needs and veterans," said Lance Cpl. Andrea Victor, Logistics Vehicle System operator for Headquarters Company, CLR-1, 1st MLG, as she tediously clipped one-inch sections of the plant and placed them in a bag.

Last summer, Ivey Ranch extended their horse therapy program to include wounded service members, called the Horses for Heroes program, in which instructors from the North America Riding for the Handicapped Association and other therapists team up to provide therapy sessions to improve the lives of wounded veterans.

When the Marines of CLR-1 heard about this volunteer project, they jumped at the chance to help, said Cpl. James Miser, the Single Marine Program representative for CLR-1, 1st MLG.

"We have a lot of fantastic volunteer spirit in the Marine Corps," said Miser, 26, from Las Vegas, who helped coordinate the event. "We're working out here today with Volunteer San Diego, so it's Marines and civilians working side by side to improve the community."

After Marines collected several bags of the one-inch ice plant fronds, the next day they went to work transplanting the clippings onto the soil embankment. Not only will the plants help keep the squirrels away, but it'll help keep the horses happy, too.

"It helps with the run-off for when we have our rainy season, and it gives something for the flies to be distracted by instead of bothering our horses," said Kristin Baldwin, development director for Ivey Ranch, 25, from Phoenix, Ariz. "Projects like these allow us to beautify the area at no cost to us because we're clipping plants that we already have. We love the Marines for coming out and helping us out today. It makes a huge difference for us."

• Date Taken: 10.03.2009
• Date Posted: 10.09.2009 19:14
• Story ID: 39900
• Location: CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US