TORRANCE, CA — On Sunday, July 12, 2026, and Sunday, July 19, 2026, young adult volunteers from the World Mission Society Church of God’s ASEZ WAO (Save the Earth from A to Z We Are One) joined together at Columbia Park Community Garden in Torrance to complete a large-scale beautification project aimed at restoring and improving one of the city’s treasured community spaces.
Members from the Sector 3, including volunteers from Orange County, Temecula, Cerritos, and Torrance, dedicated their Sunday morning to revitalizing the garden. The project focused on removing invasive weeds, clearing debris, and laying asphalt throughout the community garden to help prevent future weed growth. Their efforts will make the pathways more accessible while creating a cleaner, healthier environment for native plants and community members to enjoy for years to come.
Tackling the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The event highlighted ASEZ WAO’s ongoing “No More GPGP (Global Plastic Pollution)” Campaign, which encourages young adults around the world to actively protect and restore local environments through volunteer service. According to their website, their goal is to reduce the use of plastics, one of the main causes of environmental pollution. The goal is to collect more than 80,000 metric tons of plastic waste through this project to prevent the formation of another Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
A special highlight of the project was the attendance of Torrance Mayor Sharon Kalani. Although originally scheduled to visit for only a few minutes, Mayor Kalani was so inspired by the volunteers’ enthusiasm that she remained at the site for more than an hour, working alongside participants and offering words of encouragement. During the event, she also signed an MOU Support Signature, expressing the City’s support for continued environmental partnership with ASEZ WAO.
Addressing the volunteers, Mayor Kalani said:
“Thank you for being here. We’re really grateful that you’re partnering with us here in the City of Torrance. We are currently in the community gardens, and you can see all of the excitement happening behind me. How special is it that young people chose to take their Sunday morning to come out and give back to the community and leave Torrance a little better? I’m just so grateful for each one of them and really blessed that I get to meet all of them and work beside them.”
She also emphasized the broader impact of the project:
“We are making Torrance better. We are out here at our community garden clearing the path to make it easier to access. It’s not just that—it’s also fellowshipping. It’s working under the premise that we’re here as one community, and we’re going to work together and spend the morning, as I said, just fellowshipping under the eyes of God.”
The event also received generous support from local businesses that helped provide refreshments and supplies for the volunteers. Starbucks served coffee, while Noah’s Bagels and Panera Bread donated breakfast items. The Home Depot provided coolers, water, trash bags, and work gloves, and Raising Cane’s supplied lemonade and iced tea, helping volunteers stay energized throughout the day.
ASEZ WAO Putting Faith Into Action
For many participants, the project represented more than physical labor—it was an opportunity to put their faith into action through meaningful community service.
Michelle, a volunteer from the Temecula Church of God, traveled to Torrance specifically to participate in the project.
“Thanks to God for this experience,” she said. “I was really excited when I first heard about this project because we would be uprooting weeds and helping protect the native species in this area. Knowing how important this garden is to the community made me even more excited to come and serve alongside my fellow volunteers from Torrance.”
Reflecting on the two weekends of service, Michelle added:
“The first project focused heavily on removing weeds, which was very labor-intensive. This time, we were able to beautify the garden even more, making improvements that will benefit the community long-term. When we all gather together, it makes serving even more enjoyable.”
Torrance resident and ASEZ WAO volunteer Tammi shared why community service is so meaningful to her.
“I truly believe in the saying that one person can change the whole world. It makes me feel happy to be one person who can help clean even a small section of our global community. Together as one, we really can make a difference.”
She continued:
“There are so many examples throughout history where one person’s actions changed the world. In the same way, I believe even this small effort can create a big difference. After today, I want to share this experience with my friends and encourage them to volunteer too. I hope that by seeing what we did today, they will also be inspired to serve their communities.”
End Goal Acheived- Brighter, Better, and Beautiful Space!
Through teamwork, partnership with the City of Torrance, and the support of generous community sponsors, ASEZ WAO volunteers successfully transformed the Columbia Park Community Garden into a cleaner, safer, and more welcoming space for residents.
The two-week beautification project reflects ASEZ WAO’s continued commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement, demonstrating that when young adults unite with a shared purpose, even small acts of service can create lasting change for future generations.
