CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. — As California makes a transition out of the coronavirus pandemic and into a new way of life, ABC10 wants to highlight the Everyday Heroes impacting the community.
In Citrus Heights, a retired teacher is maintaining a bed of wildflowers just so people walking by can enjoy them.
For 30 years, a patch of dirt along Auburn Boulevard has been Ron Fern's sanctuary. The 80-year-old Fern is very proud of his community. On most days, he is outside picking up trash, mostly a lot of cigarette butts he said.
“No one was maintaining it or cleaning it up. So, on my morning run, I started picking things up,” Fern explained.
For the most part, Fern works alone planting and maintaining the flowers. Lately, though, he’s been getting lots of encouragement from people passing by.
“Some will honk, they will wave, some yell, they know my name,” Fern joked.
Because more people are walking these days, they have time to stop and smell the flowers. Fern has no plans on stopping. Now more than ever, he says people need flowers because it makes them smile.
“That’s my reward. The people enjoy it as they go by,” Fern said.
If you want to nominate an Everyday Hero contact John Bartell jbartell@abc10.com
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