More than 2,000 volunteers took part in the 9th annual Community Service Day Saturday, September 17. Community members of all ages completed more than 100 projects throughout Folsom. Volunteers helped beautify parks, school campuses, and recreation areas; assembled care packages for active duty service members; collected and sorted food donations; and completed tasks for more than 60 senior residents.

Folsom residents generously contributed to the Community Service Day donation drives, including:

• 30 tons of food for the Twin Lakes Food Bank
• 22 pints of blood for the Vitalant blood drive
• Nearly 1,000 pairs of eyeglasses for the Folsom Vision Project
• 9 bags of Legos for BrickDreams
• 121 purses for Julie’s Purse Project
• 68 youth and adult bicycles to be refurbished for community members in need
• 30 boxes of supplies for shelter cats and dogs
• plus a variety of other needed supplies for local nonprofit organizations.

Community Service Day is organized by the City of Folsom, local businesses, and community organizations. The event was made possible this year thanks to the sponsorship support from Intel, Lakeside Church, Lennar, Style Media Group, Folsom Telegraph, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Goodfellow Bros., Rotary Club of Folsom, PGL Financial, Dokken Engineering, Kikkoman, Micron, Elliott Homes, American Logowear, WinCo Foods, Kiefer Consulting, Safe Credit Union, Kaiser Permanente, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento, Toll Brothers, Choose Folsom, First Citizens Bank, American River Ace Hardware, Dignity Health, Sierra Marlins, Disciples Church, and Assemblymember Ken Cooley.

It's never been easier or more fun to read along with a good story. Wonderbooks are now available at the Folsom Public Library! Wonderbook is a read-along format that combines an audiobook experience with a print book. This combination offers an engaging and powerful literacy tool for preschoolers and children just beginning to read. Simply press "play" and get immersed in an entertaining and interactive experience. Borrow a Wonderbook today from the Picture Book room at the Folsom Public Library. Learn more at www.folsom.ca.us/library.

The new citywide Green Bin program is underway, and together, we are putting food waste in its place! If you have not yet had the chance to pick up a free kitchen pail and begin collecting organic waste, you are encouraged to attend one of the upcoming kitchen pail giveaway events. The Recycling Team will be on hand to provide information about the Green Bin program and ready to answer any questions you may have.

• Tuesday, October 4, 1 to 5 p.m., Folsom Public Library
• Saturday, October 15, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Historic Folsom Farmer’s Market

Future events will be posted to the city website calendar as they are scheduled. Learn more at www.folsom.ca.us/organics.

Amateur photographers of all ages are encouraged to enter their photographs showcasing life in Folsom to the 14th annual photography competition, sponsored by the Folsom Arts Association. Contestants are not required to be city residents, but all entries must be images taken in Folsom. Capture images using one of the four contest categories as your guideline: Folsom Outdoors, Folsom Wildlife, Urban Folsom, and Macro Photography. Submit entries through September 26 to the Folsom Art Center, 48 Natoma Street (open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday). Contest entries will be featured at the Community Gallery at 48 Natoma, and winners will be announced Friday, October 14 during the public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Find complete contest guidelines and entry forms at www.folsomarts.org. Rona Knapp’s photo, featured above, was awarded 3^rd place in the 2018 Folsom Focus contest.

Help harvest acorns to grow the next generation of oak trees! Join an acorn harvest event Saturday, September 24 and explore Folsom's open space areas while harvesting acorns used to grow native oaks for reforestation efforts. Also, learn about native oaks and how to properly collect healthy acorns that the Sacramento Tree Foundation will plant at a later date. Training and supplies will be provided. For more information and to register to volunteer, visit www.sactree.org.

Planning on using your home as a vacation rental? Visit the new vacation rentals page at www.folsom.ca.us/vacationrentals and learn about the regulations you must follow before listing your rental online. A rental qualifies as a vacation rental if the apartment, house, or condominium is furnished and rented on a temporary basis (less than 30 days).

The city pays tribute to the nation’s veterans at the 22^nd annual Wayne Spence Folsom Veterans Day Parade Friday, November 11. The parade is held rain or shine and begins on East Bidwell Street in front of the Target/Home Goods shopping center and ends at Folsom City Lions Park. The City of Folsom is accepting parade entries through Friday, October 28; find details and entry forms online or call 916-461-6615.

Cooler weather and shorter days mean you can adjust your irrigation schedule to use less water. Keep dialing back your sprinkler run times and remember to turn off your sprinklers completely when rain is in the forecast.

If you’re not sure if your yard needs water, check the soil moisture level with a moisture meter. You can also check the soil with a six-inch screwdriver: if you can easily push it into the ground three inches beneath the soil, you don’t need to water.

You can also install a WaterSense-labeled sprinkler timer and let it run the sprinklers for you. Many of us are still using decades-old irrigation technology. Use the downtime this winter to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your sprinkler system.

Need help determining your fall/winter watering strategy? Contact Folsom’s Water Conservation Team at 916-461-6177, waterconservation@folsom.ca.us to schedule a Water-Wise House Call.

This living history event transports guests back in time to a 16th century English village with hundreds of costumed entertainers, artisan crafts and wares, and a variety of tasty food and drink. Jousting tournaments take place both days of the faire, featuring riders in full suits of armor riding on sturdy draft horses. The Faire takes place in Folsom City Lions Park Saturday and Sunday, September 24 and 25. Find tickets and event information at www.folsomfaire.com.