In a unique community collaboration, members of the Rancho Cielo Youth Corps stepped in to help an elderly Salinas woman by repairing her damaged fence last week.
Elizabeth Venturini, who is in her late 90s, has lived in Salinas since 1958 and is the “matriarch of our community over here in Maple Park,” said neighbor Butch Francis.
“I take care of her when I can, and the fence had been knocked over and kids were coming in,” Francis said.
Venturini’s south Salinas home lines up next to a city park, and in the last heavy rainstorm, the fence partially collapsed into her backyard, leaving the property vulnerable and Venturini worried. It was estimated to cost between $500 and $1,700 to repair the fence, her daughter Elena Dorabji said.
Yet through the coordination of several people, a crew from Rancho Cielo Youth Campus, a nonprofit that provides services to underserved and at-risk youth, went to the home on March 21 and completed the repairs over several hours.
Samuel Arevalo, 25, of Salinas was part of the crew that repaired the fence.
We “straightened and leveled it and got it ready for her to last for another 10 years at least,” he said proudly.
Arevalo said it felt good to work on the project.
“It’s awesome, the feeling to help people that can’t really help themselves … It gives us the experience to work with people and a little bit more experience socializing with people in the county and the city and helping out people. It also gives us projects that we can work on and have our instructor teach us construction and things to help others and ourselves,” he said.
Arevalo has been in the Rancho Cielo Youth Corps since November after being referred by his probation officer. He said he’s interested in pursuing construction as a career now, and with two months left in the program, he’s building his resume and filling out applications.
“This is a cool program. These guys helps us a lot to make a life for ourselves, and I’m thankful that I’m here and I’m able to help others,” Arevalo said.
“It’s a perfect kind of project because it allows them to see that their work can benefit individuals in the community that really need their help and they can see that their efforts can lead to positive outcomes in the community as opposed to getting in trouble,” said Rancho Cielo Interim Deputy Director Matt Huerta.
Venturini’s daughter Dorabji said that about 25 years ago, her mother complained that people were using a tall utility box to climb up into her mother’s property, and in response, the city built an extra-tall fence to separate her mother’s property from the park.
When the fence recently fell, the family contacted the city thinking that the city would repair it, but the city declined having any record of building the fence or responsibility to repair it, Dorabji said.
As the family was trying to figure out how to address the issue, neighbor Butch Francis called Salinas City Councilman Steve McShane to find assistance for what he initially thought was an issue of vandalism to the fence.
Concerned about a potential safety issue, McShane then contacted the Salinas Police Department to see what could be done about the situation.
“Butch is a good neighbor, called me and I referred it to PD, and police determined it wasn’t vandalism but the fence blew down,” McShane said.
“It’s really weird, like almost everyone springs into action, because this little old lady, who is quite feisty, is in a tight spot,” Dorabji said.
Salinas Police Commander Sheldon Bryan called Venturini to find out what was going on, said Salinas Police Chief Kelly McMillin. Upon realizing that the problem was going to be left to the older woman, Bryan and McMillin, who both dabble in woodwork and furniture building, decided to just go out and repair it themselves.
“It’s an easy fix and (Bryan) said ‘if we can’t figure this out, let’s go fix it,’” McMillin explained.
After some thought, however, it was decided that it would be a better idea to give the Rancho Cielo program participants a chance to get further work experience while doing a good deed, and McMillin, who sits on the Rancho Cielo Youth Campus board, helped coordinate for them to take the project.
While Dorabji was frustrated by the city’s initial response, she said she’s very happy that Rancho Cielo could step in and help.
“Whoever is in charge of making it happen, I’m very grateful to them … It’s nice my mom’s problem got solved, but it’s not only about my mom, it’s about city services to the community,” she said.
Salinas Public Works Director Gary Petersen said he was unfamiliar with the particular case but noted that extensive research into the history of the property would be needed to understand all the facts of the case, and fence line ownership is a complicated issue.
“It’s just such a great example of community pulling together for somebody in need,” McShane agreed.
Petersen added that the City of Salinas does contract with Rancho Cielo for repairs to sidewalks, curbs and gutters to regularly help give job experience to Rancho Cielo program participants.
Francis said Venturini is an “incredible” lady and praised the help and coordination by both police and Rancho Cielo.
Visit ranchocieloyc.org for more information about the Rancho Cielo Youth Center.