Fallon Youth Turn Out in Force for Global Youth Service Day

Fallon’s young people made a big impact over the weekend during Global Youth Service Day, rolling up their sleeves to improve the community in more ways than one.

On the morning of April 26, about 70 volunteers ages 12 to 18 gathered at Oats Park at 9 a.m., launching a series of projects across town. They painted the walls and floors of the park bathrooms, refreshed the backstops at the batting cages, and pulled weeds throughout the park.

Their efforts extended beyond the park. Volunteers emptied roughly 25 pallets of sandbags for Churchill County on Miners Road, helping with seasonal flood preparations. Across town, Brad Barton led a two-hour cleanup of the river area near Financial Horizons Credit Union. Volunteers cleared trash, debris, and overgrown willows and Russian olive trees, making it easier for floaters to safely exit the river this summer. With the help of a roll-off trailer donated by Tumbleweed Garbage, the cleanup team managed to fill the entire bin with river trash and green waste.

Later that afternoon, 103 younger children, ages 3 to 11, gathered at the North Taylor Building to contribute their own acts of kindness. They packed 104 activity bags for pediatric patients at Renown Children’s Hospital and created heartfelt cards for more than 190 homebound seniors served by Meals on Wheels.

“My favorite thing was making cards for people because I just thought it was a kind thing to do!” said Hattie Sorensen, one of the young volunteers.

The children’s service project was organized by Courtney Johnson, who serves as Stake Primary President and works as a nurse at Renown.

Fallon’s Global Youth Service Day projects were organized through JustServe.org, a community platform connecting volunteers with local service opportunities. JustServe sponsors two major events in Fallon each year — Global Youth Service Day in April and the 9/11 Day of Service in September — aiming to create meaningful opportunities for families to serve together.

“Anyone can participate,” said regional JustServe representative Terra Koenig. Glen and Beth Perazzo coordinate local efforts. Organizers encourage community members to visit JustServe.org year-round to find ways to get involved.

Celebrating its 37th year, Global Youth Service Day (April 25–27, 2025) is the longest-running annual youth service event in the world, inviting youth ages 5 to 25 to work together for the common good and highlighting the impact young people have on their communities every day.