Just over a month after its completion, the success of Folsom’s 11th annual Community Service Day was showcased at Tuesday night Folsom City Council Meeting. Presented by 2024 Community Service Day Chair Sandy Econome and Folsom Parks and Recreation Department’s Tom Hellman, Tuesday’s presentation illustrated how Folsom’s day of philanthropy continues to thrive, showcasing the community’s commitment to making a difference through volunteerism, donations, and collaborative projects.
This year’s event brought together 2,360 volunteers, who completed 127 projects throughout the city. Their efforts amounted to an incredible 9,190 hours of service, underscoring the depth of involvement that has become a hallmark of this event.
The donation drives were among the most impactful aspects of the day. The Community Food Drive collected an impressive 28 tons of food, ensuring that local food banks and pantries can provide vital support to families in need. A bike collection campaign also saw significant success, gathering 65 bicycles, with 85% of them refurbished and ready for distribution to those in need.
Additionally, 249 new coats were donated to support students in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District, while 66 bags of yarn and fabric—47% of the target goal—were collected for charitable projects. Animal lovers pitched in too, contributing two truckloads of pet supplies to local shelters. A purse drive rounded out the donation efforts, collecting 101 purses, which, though just 2% of the goal, reflected the diverse ways people engaged with the event.
The blood drive also achieved a milestone, collecting 19 pints of blood—a 58% increase over last year’s event. This contribution is estimated to have saved 19 lives, highlighting the tangible impact that local volunteers can have on the wider community. Meanwhile, the “Neighbors Helping Seniors” initiative brought vital assistance to elderly residents, completing 88 home improvement and maintenance projects to support those who might struggle with such tasks on their own.
The event’s success was bolstered by the generosity of numerous sponsors, who contributed over $125,000 in cash and in-kind donations. Leading the effort were the Presenting Sponsors, each donating $15,000, followed by Visionary Sponsors with contributions of $10,000. Leader Sponsors provided $5,000, while Partner Sponsors donated $3,000. Good Neighbor Sponsors rounded out the list with gifts of $1,500. These donations not only funded essential event logistics but also provided materials for the various projects, allowing volunteers to maximize their impact.
Key partners in organizing the event included the City of Folsom, Lakeside Church, and Twin Lakes Food Bank. Their collaborative efforts ensured smooth coordination across all projects. Special recognition was given to Mayor Michael D. Kozlowski, the Folsom City Council, and the Community Service Day Steering Committee, whose leadership was instrumental in managing logistics and outreach. The event also benefited from the participation of local organizations such as the Folsom Rotary Club, Kaiser Permanente, Habitat for Humanity, and Folsom’s Parks & Recreation Department.
The 2024 City of Folsom Community Service Day Steering Committee members included, Econome, Committee Chair; and with Hellmann and Derik Perez, Co-Leads from the City of Folsom Parks & Recreation (P&R); Christine Brainerd, City of Folsom Communications; Ronni Lynn, Projects-Volunteers, City of Folsom Parks and Recreation; Ted Ocampo, Logistics, City of Folsom Parks and Recreation; Liz Vaage, Budget, City of Folsom Parks and Recreation; Jen Thiot, Sponsorship, City of Folsom Public Works; Mike Kozlowski, Mayor of the City of Folsom; Ashleigh Adams, SMUD; Mark Bahouth, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; Alma Becerra, Kaiser Permanente; Sally Buchanan, Choose Folsom; Adam Frick and Bill Sullivan of Folsom Times; Jacob Cantu, Community Member; Stephen Costello and Shara Dzerigian, Century 21; Darnell Dumas, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento; Angela Griffin Ankhelyi, Folsom Cordova Unified School District; Lisa Hausmann, Dignity Health; Christina Hunt and Alisha Wilson, Lakeside Church; Greg Kiefer and Amy McBride, Community Members as well as former CSD chair Justin Raithel; Anthony Retodo M.D., Kaiser Permanente; Breanna Stambuk, Folsom Prison; and Brian Wallace, Parks & Recreation Commissioner.
Community Service Day is organized by the City of Folsom, local businesses, and community organizations. The annual event is made possible thanks to generous support from community sponsors which include the following:
Presenting Sponsor: Dignity Health
Visionary Sponsors: Lennar, Folsom Times, Lakeside Church, Style Media Group, Goodfellow Bros.
Leader Sponsors: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento, The Folsom Telegraph, Palladio, Micron, Rotary Club of Folsom
Partner Sponsors: Dokken Engineering; Kaiser Permanente; American Logowear; Elliott Homes, Inc.; Kikkoman; WinCo
Good Neighbor Sponsors: Choose Folsom, Sierra Marlins, American River Ace Hardware, Big Wave Coffee House, SMUD, Leatherby’s
The overwhelming success of this year’s Community Service Day is a testament to Folsom’s strong sense of civic pride and the commitment of its residents to helping others. With plans already underway for next year’s event, scheduled for September 20, 2025, the community looks forward to building on this momentum and continuing its tradition of service, generosity, and collaboration.
