GRIDLEY, CA (PG) – Gridley High School FFA and Gridley Lions Club teamed up to help bring some much-needed amenities to the FEMA park.

Residents at the FEMA park have been without any community center or central information hub since it opened in August of 2019. The Gridley community, Gridley Relief Group and other service groups quickly became aware of the need for a way to get information to the people residing there.  The task was made even more difficult as FEMA case workers and voluntary agency liaisons were required to help protect the identities and well-being of the FEMA park residents. Information trickled in slowly, mostly through word of mouth, FEMA and the Gridley Herald.

The GRG contacted Gridley High School Ag Advisor Nick Dreesman, hoping to enlist the help of his students to help the flow of information to the park. Two students, Dylan Terry and Kooper Porter took on the project, agreeing to help make two large, portable bulletin boards to be placed at the FEMA park for information services.

Terry says that it took just a few weeks for Porter and himself to design and build the bulletin boards, with Porter sharing that the project fell under the parameters of both the Ag Manufacturing and Ag Fabrication classes in the department. Gridley Lions Club provided the paint and Lion Vern Hartman helped transport the heavy bulletin boards out to the park.

The large gold and blue bulletin boards were placed at the two main intersections in the park for the posting of community news, updates and services. The bulletins will make it possible for Gridley community members to communicate beneficial opportunities and resources available to the FEMA residents in a more direct fashion.