Target volunteers spruce up Lovers Key

A small army hit the shores of Lovers Key State Park on Thursday morning. Their weapons: garbage bags, gardening gloves and tree trimmers.

By the time they left, the swarm of volunteers had saved park rangers roughly two months of labor by sprucing up the look of the park, and in the process, enhancing the image of a retail giant as well.

Adorned in their traditional red shirts, about 60 volunteers from local Target stores showed up at Lovers Key in Bonita Springs for three hours of volunteer work. Employees from stores in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties joined a half-dozen regular volunteers and helped plant trees, pick up trash and trim brush along trails and on the beach.

“They helped us tremendously,” said park service specialist Maria Lightner. “The park wouldn’t be in such pristine condition without these volunteers.”

Volunteering sometimes helps in more ways than one. Colin Bulla, a regular volunteer for Lovers Key, was leading a group trimming trees. He said the work is therapeutic and helps relieve his stress level.

“It’s kind of nice to see other people out here,” Bulla said. “I’m usually by myself.”

The gathering was part of Target’s annual volunteer day. Store volunteers picked the location of their volunteer work on their own, said Tray Cooper, district leader for the store. He said they chose Lovers Key because it is familiar to many people. It’s also a place Target employees enjoy visiting.

“I personally take a lot of pride in working for a company that (volunteers),” Cooper said.

Jason Williams, a human resource officer from the Bonita Springs store, said the outing will pay dividends when store employees visit the park they helped clean.

“It’s neat to come back and see the fruits of our labor,” Williams said.