Cesar Chavez believed that “the end of all education should surely be service to others.” Nearly eight years after his death, his message of community service is very much alive.

Saturday, which would have been Chavez’s 74th birthday, became a celebration of his legacy as students from kindergarten through high school joined Sacramento State students and other volunteers in a day of community service.

“We are trying to reach as many people as possible. It is part of the legacy that Cesar left us to get out there and be part of the community,” said Juanishi Orosco, a former bodyguard and march monitor for Chavez.

Orosco was on hand to speak at Cesar Chavez Day, a celebration of the founder of the United Farm Workers, held at the Alumni Center.

“He was a great leader, like Martin Luther King and Ghandi. He had a real vision for us to adhere to a peaceful movement. He taught us to take a non-violent approach and showed us that it could be very powerful,” Orosco said.

Orosco said that what was most memorable to him was Chavez’s ability to move people with his speeches. He characterized Chavez as “incredibly beautiful” and “a very little man who carried a very big stick.”

A Spanish poetry reading and a performance by an Aztec dance group treated the volunteers who turned out and the celebration was concluded.

“Our prayers E our struggles E they are never going to end. It is a lifetime commitment. Cesar Chavez is like a household word,” said Jesse Ortiz, leader of the dance group.Orosco echoed Oritz’s sentiment.

“We will do this as long as there is struggle, injustice or someone is being discriminated against,” Orosco said.

The volunteers had their inspiration, and then it was time to get their hands dirty.A $250,000 grant from the California Commission on Improving Life Through Community Service was awarded to Citizens Engaged in Service And Renewal, a collection of area organizations including California State University, Associated Students, Inc., and People Helping People Care.

The grant allowed CESAR to fund service learning projects and to educate school children about Cesar Chavez.

The first phase of the three-phase plan was a community beautification project with volunteers fanning out to one of twelve sites around Sacramento.The parks and recreation department designated some sites, while others were picked based on how badly they needed the help.

One such site was the Discovery Museum on Auburn Boulevard. The non-profit museum was hit hard by city and county budget cuts and was forced to close its doors in 1997. When it reopened eight months later, the museum was understaffed and today relies on one man to maintain the grounds-without pay.

Fifteen volunteers arrived at the museum to help clear brush away from the trails surrounding the museum’s pond. The help was very much appreciated.

“This meant a month of work for us, four weeks at least,” said Susan Douglas, site director and educator at the museum.

Douglas found it particularly fitting that the extra hands arrived on a state holiday in honor of Chavez.

“PHPC has been great to us. This group has reached out to young people. Young people seem to be very aware about community service,” Douglas said.