Navy sailors to perform volunteer services

Fifteen sailors from Carrier Air Wing 3 of Virginia Beach, Va., will be in Carson City on Saturday and Oct. 10 to perform volunteer work at some of its most historic sites.

The sailors will be training at Naval Air Station Fallon and when in any community perform volunteer duties to “leave each place we visit in better condition,” said Lt. Robert D Fasnacht, group leader.

When asked why Carson City was to be honored, Fasnacht wrote, “Doing volunteer work in Carson City was an easy choice. It is our desire as United States Sailors to leave each place we visit in better condition. Volunteering in Carson City allows us to visit a town of great historic value while fulfilling our mission of making a difference.”

Most air wings typically perform volunteer duties in Fallon.

The sailors will be assisting the Nevada State Prison Preservation Society (NSPPS) on Saturday in their continued effort to ready the historic Nevada State Prison for future regularly scheduled tours.

The sailors will have a personal tour of the prison before setting off to work. Glen Whorton, president of NSPPS said, “We are so grateful for the commitment our sailors have made to help us care for the Nevada State Prison. This is over and above the commitment they make to our country and so unexpected. Our project is so small compared to defending our nation, but we’re so grateful for their help.”

On Oct. 10, the sailors will split into two details: Sprucing up the Brewery Arts Center grounds and cleaning up the small historic cemetery within Fuji Park that has long been neglected where two Civil War soldiers are buried on the site of the former Ormsby County Poor Farm.

Fasnacht contacted the Carson City Chamber of Chamber to arrange the details of the Saturday visits. The Carson City Elks Lodge #2177 will provide the venue and menu to host the sailors for a farewell and thank-you barbecue dinner after their detail on Oct. 10. Carson Mayor Robert Crowell and Assemblyman P.K. O’Neill will present certificates of appreciation. Even the Carson City Parks and Recreation stepped up to the plate by providing a venue for showers at the aquatic center after the two days of labor.

When asked why the sailors do community service on their day off, Fasnacht said, “To be a global force for good, we must first begin locally and make a difference where our feet are planted.”