NORTH FORK – Downtown North Fork was a beehive of activity on Saturday as the second annual North Fork Clean Up Day brought folks out to spruce up the town.
This is the second year the North Fork Chamber of Commerce has orchestrated this day to shape things up before the summer season, and local business owners stepped up in a big way.Jason Neville, owner of Central Sierra Pest Control, had his crew out early with weedeaters, and Chris, Tim and Rudy trimmed up the vegetation at the Crazy Y and all through town. (be sure to click on the photos to enlarge)
Joey Otten of Millworks Cabinetry and Glass/Mountain Shed, brought a trailer to remove what has become a landmark on the main street – Bob Carlson’s old Ford pickup.
Bob’s green pickup has been sitting, quietly deteriorating, for a number of years on the main drag. So after Chris Salazar of Phase One Electric, got wheels in place so the thing would roll, Bob got behind the wheel while all the available able-bodied men pushed it across the road and up onto Joey’s pickup for its ride back to Bob’s house.
Discussing the options….
Bob not only contributed to the clean up by taking his vintage vehicle home, he wielded a mean weed whacker at the Studio.
Susan Joy, of Three Springs Flower Garden, and Jeannie Pearson got busy on the new Visitors Center, which is scheduled to open on May 24. In the ensuing months, the center will be expanded to include a business resource center and a home for the North Fork Chamber of Commerce.
About 18 volunteers have been trained by Jeannie, who was trained by the folks at the Yosemite Sierra Visitor’s Bureau in Oakhurst, and will be the Volunteer Co-ordinator in North Fork. YSVB is providing display racks and materials.
Anne Bredon, owner of the Looney Bin next to North Fork Hardware, has made available half the space in her shop for the new store front.
Marc Mandel of Crossroads Lumber provided a huge slab of bull pine, which was milled by Jeremy O’Dell, to serve as the counter in the new Visitors Center.
Joey Otten donated lumber to replace the very sketchy deck on the back of the building and Scott Marsh, owner of Slim’s Koffee Shak brokered the deal for the use of the building.
Scott also took over duties at the grill and cooked up burgers and links for the hard working crew, along with salad, chips and ice cold water.
The food was provided by Mark Williams, owner and proprietor of the LynMar Pond Guest Ranch just east of North Fork
Scott is, as usual, the driving force behind this project, along with many others designed to infuse this village with new life and energy, and get business moving forward.
Another project on his list was getting the sign that currently languishes above the long-ago closed visitors center in the old gas station, to its new home across the street.
In the midst of all the sprucing up, the good folks from the EMC SPCA set up shop in front of Best Friends Pet Grooming for a low-cost vaccination clinic.
They served nearly 100 pets and their owners, and with all the dogs and cats lining the street, the furry patients all got on amazingly well.
Dr. Beth Taylor and staff from Hoof and Paw Veterinary Hospital in Oakhurst were busy until noon, administering vaccinations and heartworm tests, along with other services. All proceed from these clinics, which are held several times a year throughout the mountain area, go to the EMC SPCA.
With many hands making light work, and generous donations from residents and business owners of both time and materials, the day was a great success, and the Crazy Y has never looked better – though the Earth Day Banner really does need to come down.