Pasadena Humane Staff, Volunteers ‘Give Back’ to the Park and the Planet

More than a dozen Pasadena Humane staff members and volunteers celebrated Earth Day Thursday by collaborating with Pasadena Public Works employees on a number of beautification projects at Central Park.

As staffers filled flower beds with mulch, Pasadena Humane president and CEO Dia DuVernet said, “Our employees wanted to do this, and give back to the community. We use this park all the time.  Our volunteers walk our dogs here all the time.”

Workers spread throughout the park, weeding and mulching tree and flower beds along fences and in the children’s playground section.

Maria Pyrdek, a veterinarian at Pasadena Humane, explained, “We have a social committee where the goal is to have employees get together on various projects and build teamwork and collaboration between all the different departments that we have.”

Employees pick at least two projects every month, said Pyrdek, and “do something special.”

We had a lot of different ideas for raising awareness and giving back to the local community, added Pyrdek.”

Pyrdek also pointed out that employees use the park, which is directly across the street from their facilities, often for daily activities.