PARK RECORD (Park City Utah) April 7, 2007
Community to help migrant workers Tents, sleeping bags and blankets are needed.
Frank Fisher, of the Record staff
The life of itinerant workers is anything but easy. After toiling in the fields for wages too low to afford shelter and still have money to send home, many workers will sleep near the fields they work. And night temperatures around spring and fall harvest times can be frigid. Judy Tukuafu, a member of the Park City Rotary Club wanted to find a way to help the workers, and then the idea came to her. Why not collect good, clean, used tents, sleeping bags, and blankets, to distribute to the seasonal workers? "Most people come up here with the clothes on their backs," said Tukuafu, who was looking for a way to help seasonal farm-workers. "That was the best idea I've heard in a long time," said Tony Yapias, of the Utah Migrant Seasonal Farm Workers Coalition. St. Mary's Catholic Church was glad to lend a hand and location for the donation of the items. The project "Sleep Warm in Utah" was formed as a joint Rotary Club, Coalition and St. Mary's Catholic Church community-service. Every spring about 2,000 migrant workers arrive in Utah to work in the fields, harvesting watermelons, apples and cherries, well into the fall. Some bring family members. Few have a place to stay, many are undocumented, and few workers speak English. For both reasons of risk, and financial hardship, they may spend the entire harvesting season around the fields. "As soon as we get the tents, blankets and sleeping bags, we will take them to some of the farms," said Yapias. "This will really help. The migrant population comes and goes, but they are pretty loyal and come back year after year. They're an important part of our community. Often times they're neglected with services, so we're taking the services to them." The coalition provides as many services to the workers as they can, in a short period of time that will not interfere with their work. "We provide medical screenings; check their blood pressure and check for diabetes," Yapias said. High blood pressure is common, and one-third of Latinos or more have diabetes, he said. They also provide an array of services for migrant workers, including legal services and educational services. Despite their loyalty, migrant workers are becoming a rarity. "Last year over 18 million pounds of fruit weren't picked in Utah, Yapias said. "It's harder to come here now. It's a big problem. If we don't have the manpower, the fruit will rot." "We're so thankful to the charities in Park City. It's a very giving community," Yapias said, adding, "help can be at any time. There are always people in need of it, especially migrant workers."
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