Children enjoy playing in Toddler Town Big Top as their reward for planting flowers. (SGVN/Staff Photo by Walt Mancini)

ALTADENA – As part of the county’s Cesar Chavez Community Service Week, children at Alta Loma Park in Altadena planted flowers at a small community garden dedicated to Chavez in front of the park’s community center.

The county’s ninth-annual observance also focused this year on the U.S. Census, Supervisor Gloria Molina said in a news release.

"We are pleased to continue our annual tradition of volunteering in the community during this week of service," Molina said. "This year, our focus is on Census outreach, and the county family is also working in partnership with community volunteers to urge our neighbors to fill out and return their Census questionnaires. To get our fair share of federal funding, Los Angeles County must be fully counted."

The week of service also included a food drive. Last year, county employees donated nearly 23,000 pounds of of food at 234 food bank sites.

Service projects were completed at Alta Loma and 15 other county parks from the San Fernando to Long Beach, officials said.