HERMISTON — On almost any other day, Marlette Homes would be having its workers building houses. Instead, the company sent 80 of its employees on Nov. 18 to a pair of Hermiston parks. There, they cleared fallen leaves.

Dave Campana, Hermiston resident, was one of the helpers.

“We love it,” he said, speaking for himself and his fellow workers as they raked Butte Park in Hermiston. “That’s why we’re out here.”

The father of three boys, he said he is very familiar with the park, as he would frequently visit it with them during their youth.

Also, he had a daughter, who died a few years ago, he said.

His family has donated money to the Funland Playground at Butte Park, he added, because the playground means a lot to him.

“It’s a special place, absolutely,” Campana said. “(Our work) is worth it, and this is something our company believes in as well. They’re paying us to be here, taking care of the people that wanted to come out here and do this.”

Rep says company values service

Erinn Genack, TMX manager for Clayton Homes — Hermiston, also known as Marlette Homes, said workers were sent to clean up both Butte Park and Belt Park in Hermiston. Community service, she said, is important to Clayton.

“The company really encourages its employees to be engaged in serving our local community,” she said. “We call it ‘Clayton Impact.’”

In addition to helping out at these parks, the company’s workers were planning service in projects at Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center, Festival Street, Thanksgiving dinners, Festival of Trees and more. She said there were many opportunities for team members to “get out, volunteer and serve our community in the greater Hermiston area.”

Genack was at Butte Park, as she brought warm drinks to Campana and other helpers.

They came from different cities

The workers were not just from Hermiston. They came from surrounding towns, too.

Ryan Derrin said he lives in Irrigon and was glad for the opportunity to rake leaves at Butte Park. It was his way of giving back, he added.

“I used to come out here when I was a child,” he said.

Working alongside him, another Marlette worker, Jake Henry, said he is from Irrigon, also.

“I feel good about this,” he said of his effort.

According to Henry, he visits Funland Playground two or three times a week during the summer.

“I bring my kids and the dog out here,” he said. “It’s a nice park.”

Marcos Rosales, also from Irrigon, was operating a leaf blower inside the playground.

“I feel pretty good to be helping out where the children play,” he said.

Rosales said he has children and grandchildren he has taken to the park.

Umatilla resident Chad Childers said he felt the same way about the clean-up.

“It feels good to be doing something for the community,” he said. “We’re a fairly large company in this town, so any time we can help the community, it feels good.”

Miguel Reyes, another Irrigon resident, joined the chorus. The father of three, he said this experience of helping at the park has given him ideas about something he can do for them.

“I haven’t brought them to this park before,” he said. “But now that I’ve seen (the park), I see that it’s nice. I think they’d like it.”