FALLBROOK – Youth groups from the Fallbrook Seventh-Day Adventist Church and KAYAMM youth program in Rainbow have fulfilled their commitment of a week of community service that benefited the Fallbrook community.

Their leaders, Diana Santos and Ps. Seong "John" Cho, connected with the Save Our Forest branch of the Fallbrook Land Conservancy to arrange for the group to work on refinishing benches in the downtown Fallbrook area. With spatulas, electric sanders, handheld sand paper and paint brushes, as many as 24 young people came on two different days to work on three benches in the 100 block of North Main Avenue.

The bench program was started in 1996. Donors to the Treescape Project opted to give a gift to Fallbrook and are recognized on the plaque affixed to the bench. There are 37 benches on Main Avenue that provide a convenient spot to rest for a while.

The upkeep of the benches has been difficult over the last 15 years. SOF volunteers have maintained the benches trying several different methods. A solid weatherproofing, wood stain is the current choice. The original handmade wooden benches were thought to fit best with the community, but the cost and work of maintaining them has turned the group to recycled plastic benches. The upkeep on them is little or nothing.

Others interested in helping to refinish benches are urged to call Jackie Heyneman at (760) 728-5395. It is a once in a while necessity that continues to enhance Fallbrook’s downtown area.