UFCW 8 members and managers who work at Albertsons were among more than 200 volunteers who assembled recently on the grounds of the Kern County Museum Bakersfield to build a playground for children with autism.

The volunteers, most of whom had little or no construction experience, were asked to build the playground in one day. And they did, finishing the job in six hours. The project was financed by a grant from Albertsons and Savon. 

Workers and managers came from stores in Bakersfield, Paso Robles, Ridgecrest and the San Fernando Valley to work on the project.

They were joined by volunteers from the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office and parents of students enrolled in the after-school Supplemental Autism Program at the museum and at Valley oaks Charter School. Mike Talbot, an Assistant Produce Manager and Steward at Albertsons in Bakersfield, was one of those who volunteered. 

“You should have seen it when we  arrived,” Talbot said. “It was basically a patch of grass. “We had to work from scratch. I dug holes, moved dirt, planted trees, helped build a gazebo, assembled playground equipment and mixed cement.”

Ramona Puget, the Supplemental Autism Program manager at the museum, noted that the children needed the new playground. “When it would rain, the dirt in the play area would turn to mud,” Puget said. 

“It's hard to keep children with disabilities confined. This playground will allow them to go outside and participate.” “You should have seen the looks on the faces of the kids when they saw it,” Talbot said. “Their smiles lit up the room. They were grinning from ear to ear and beaming.”

Official publication of UFCW 8-Golden State Jacques Loveall, President