More than 80 volunteers descended on Deception Pass State Park to help out with the annual park spring cleanup.

Though the event was a planned undertaking, the recent windstorms created an even greater challenge in preparing the grounds of the park for the upcoming camping and visitor season.

The cleanup was Saturday, April 10, and members of the South Whidbey Lions Club, Central Whidbey Lions Club, Coupeville Lions Club,

Oak Harbor Lions Club, North Whidbey Lions Club and Anacortes Lions Club participated. Coupeville Boy Scout Troup 4058 also helped out the effort.

Park Rangers Benjamin Shook and Ryan Green provided a worklist that included working on picnic tables, cutting and removing broken branches, raking and hauling away fallen debris from parking lots and preparing lawn areas for the mowing season.

In return for participating in the spring cleanup project, the park rangers offered one free night of camping at the park.

In what was perhaps the first picnic of the camping season, lunch was provided for all the volunteers. The picnic-lunch spread was coordinated by the Central Whidbey Lions Club, which brought hotdogs, buns, and condiments. Each of the other Lions Clubs brought a picnic specialty such as baked beans, potato salad, chips, cookies and beverages to feed the hungry volunteers.

Sharon Ryan of the Oak Harbor Lions said she was in awe of the large group of enthusiastic volunteers who gathered and worked quietly and quickly throughout the day.