It won’t be quite as elaborate as in the past and organizers are not planning a morning kickoff rally, but Saturday, April 24 will feature projects in a Love Escalon workday in the community.

Scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon, the event is being organized through Escalon Christian Reformed Church, Heritage Church, Trinity Church and Escalon Kiwanis. Four different projects are on the list for that day, said event coordinator Brittany Doornenbal of Escalon Christian Reformed Church.

“We are having Love Escalon on April 24 this year, but it’s a little more scaled back. We decided to do that partly because of COVID,” she noted.

Eight people are needed to do a deep cleaning of the food storage areas at the C.A.R.E. Food Bank with supplies provided, ages 14-plus sought; eight people are needed to paint kennels and the office walls at the Escalon Animal Shelter, with supplies provided and volunteers ages 14-plus sought. A project to beautify Main Street with planting flowers around the trees lining the Main Street sidewalk is planned, ages eight-plus sought, with eight people needed and supplies provided. At Paddack Manor, 10 people, ages eight and older, are needed to help with various projects at homes; bring your own tools.

As a bonus activity, Happy Artists Loves Escalon will feature an open house to create an art project free of charge. There are no sign-ups necessary for this event, hosted at Happy Artists at 1900 McHenry Ave., Suite 203 in the Mar-Val shopping center.

Also, you can purchase a Love Escalon T-shirt, with all proceeds going toward the projects.

Sign-ups for volunteers are on a first come, first serve basis and those interested in volunteering for the work day can sign up for a project by contacting organizers at loveescalon@gmail.com.

Doornenbal said the flyers with project and sign up information have been passed out to different businesses and churches around town.

“We are also selling our Love Escalon T-shirts via our Instagram and Facebook pages, and physically at Ace Hardware,” she added.

The soft cotton blend T-shirts come in youth sizes small to large and adult sizes small to extra-extra large. Youth shirts are $10; adult shirts are $15.

In line with safety protocols and social distancing, the work day for volunteers will begin at their specific locations.

“We won’t be having a rally before the projects begin this year, volunteers will just go straight to their project sites,” Doornenbal said.