MEXICO CITY—Over 250 Jehovah’s Witnesses volunteered to help clean the Baldomero “Melo” Almada sports facility on June 7, 2014, in preparation for a special community event, moving local officials to express appreciation.

For months, Professor Antonio Cota Márquez, the director of the Municipal Sports Institute in Huatabampo, Mexico, sought volunteers to help clean the stadium in time for the governor to inaugurate the new running track on July 7, 2014. Jehovah’s Witnesses responded favorably to the director’s request and assisted him and the facility’s cleaning personnel with much-needed improvements, including removing garbage from the stadium, repainting the basketball backboards, and caring for grounds maintenance.

Director Cota decided to contact the Witnesses because he was already familiar with how they care for one of the auditoriums at the sports facility where they regularly hold free Bible-education programs in the Spanish and Mayo languages. After observing the way the Witnesses cleaned and repaired the facility, Director Cota said in an interview: “We are glad to see selfless people who are devoting some of their time to clean our sports facility.” He later made the statement: “On behalf of our mayor, Ramón Díaz Nieblas, please accept our appreciation for your work this day. We will continue to support your organization’s use of this facility. We are very pleased with your responsible and cooperative work.”

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