• City of Santa Maria spokesman Mark van de Kamp photographs Serve Santa Maria volunteers removing graffiti from under the Highway 101 bridge over the Santa Maria River. An estimated 400 volunteers fanned out across the Santa Maria Valley on Saturday to participate in the 12th community-wide cleanup effort. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
    City of Santa Maria spokesman Mark van de Kamp photographs Serve Santa Maria volunteers removing graffiti from under the Highway 101 bridge over the Santa Maria River. An estimated 400 volunteers fanned out across the Santa Maria Valley on Saturday to participate in the 12th community-wide cleanup effort. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • There was plenty of work to be had under the Highway 101 bridge over the dry bed of the Santa Maria River. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • St. Joseph High School freshmen Mikayla Thompson, Natalie Reynoso, Janelle Brickey and Henry Adam were among area high school students painting over graffiti Saturday as part of Serve Santa Maria 12. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • With her distinctive chignon and a Serve Santa Mara T-shirt, Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino was ready to volunteer Saturday morning at the Abel Maldonado Community Center. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • Elijah Bloodworth applies some muscle and paint to the graffiti removal under the Santa Maria River Bridge. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • Serve Santa Maria T-shirts were available for sale at the Abel Maldonado Community Center. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • Serve Santa Maria volunteers paint a hopscotch court on the playground at Patterson Road Elementary School in Orcutt. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • Terry Breit, a Serve Santa Maria project leader, was among those painting over graffiti under the Santa Maria River Bridge on Saturday. Breit said he had put himself through college as a house painter and laughed that he thought he would never pick up another brush. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • City of Santa Maria spokesman Mark van de Kamp was on hand to chronicle the citywide community service projects. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • Volunteers paint over graffiti under the Highway 101 bridge crossing the Santa Maria River on Saturday as part of the 12th edition of Serve Santa Maria. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • Thanks to Serve Santa Maria volunteers, a map of the United States takes colorful shape on the playground at Patterson Road Elementary School in Orcutt. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)
  • The Salvation Army provided bag lunches for Serve Santa Maria volunteers Saturday. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo)

Bill Macfadyen is Noozhawk’s founder and publisher. Contact him at wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com, and follow him on Instagram: @bill.macfadyen. The opinions expressed are his own.