The enthusiasm was infectious Saturday morning, as hundreds gathered at

Golden Eagle Park to get their marching orders.

It could have been like work – well, everyone did end up doing some kind of “work” – but it was a fun kind of labor, a labor of love that was done for a good cause rather than a good paycheck.

Various generations came together for a few hours to contribute their time, energy and talents (that talent thing is somewhat questionable in my case, however) to a good cause.

The cause?

Make a Difference Day.

The reason?

Community.

Never mind the fact that likely millions of people contributed millions and millions of man-hours on Oct. 26 around the country as they came together for Make a Difference Day.

It is said to be the largest one-day volunteer effort in the country.

Sure, Fountain Hills will be part of those national statistics, but in a town like ours, the day means more than just numbers. It means service clubs, organizations, churches, families and other citizens coming together to spread some goodwill around the community.

Neighbor helping neighbor.

Contrary to some out-of-town perceptions, Fountain Hills isn’t all million-dollar Southwest castles built into the hillsides behind gated private country clubs.

There are people living here who are alone, who are struggling, who maybe don’t have the support system they should have from family, friends and neighbors. Or maybe they just don’t reach out for help like they should.

Things happen. Or don’t happen. And as Heather Ware, town volunteer coordinator, pointed out Saturday morning, sometimes it’s easier to judge than to simply lend a helping hand.

Heather and her hard-working volunteer committee screened the dozens of projects that were accomplished Saturday. So they all needed help in some fashion – perhaps in spite of the outward appearances.

My Noon Kiwanis group ended up with another giant landscaping project. Turns out the property owner was a 90-year-old woman who had lived out here for decades. She recently suffered a stroke and had to go into a nursing home facility.

Her property was overgrown with all kinds of palo verdes and other trees and brush.

One woman on our crew, Ann Speers, who coordinates many activities at Extended Hands Food Bank, said the woman was a sweet person who had volunteered her time for decades at the food bank.

So now it was our turn to give back a little bit to this woman. Sure, some of us drew blood and got stuck by a few sharp cactus needles here and there, but this day is only once a year and only for a few hours.

That’s the least we can do as a community for our community. Rather than looking inward all the time, at times it’s super beneficial to look outward, to give of ourselves rather than taking all time. Much has already been given to me, it’s only right to give some of that back…