EAST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - “It was a dark and stormy night” when the Welcome to East Sacramento sign disappeared in April of this year. 

One of the first residents to notice was Nick Kufasimes. Born and raised in McKinley Park, Kufasimes passed by the spot at H and Alhambra to see it was missing. 

“I texted my neighbors and asked, ‘Hey, we see the sign is gone. What’s up?’” Kufasimes said. 

He learned that it wasn’t sent anywhere to be refurbished; it was stolen. Law enforcement asked around and found a nearby business with video evidence of the incident. On a rainy early morning at 4 a.m., an older Escalade drove up to the sign. Three men in black hoodies hopped out and went to remove it and take it with them. Nobody knows why. 

Kufasimes, vice-president of the East Sacramento Community Association (ESCA), mused, “It’s either in someone’s backyard or been turned into scrap metal.” 

That would be a terrible fate for such a beloved symbol of the historic neighborhood. Yet, community members got busy instead of lamenting the loss and accepting an empty brick wall. 

Tricia Stevens, Lisa Schmidt and Cecily Hastings collaborated to get the word out to ask for donations and replace the missing sign. Stevens is the current East Sacramento Community Association president, while Schmidt and Hastings are co-founders of the Friends of East Sacramento. Their longtime relationship made the work happen fast. Everyone knew what to do. 

Schmidt established the first Welcome to East Sacramento sign 20 years earlier. She explained community volunteers have continuously funded and maintained the sign. The City of Sacramento has not been responsible for it, although city staff will work with community members on electrical, permits and other details. 

Schmidt was shocked when she heard the news. 

“When it was stolen, I was already getting emails that morning about it. People were telling me, ‘Your sign is missing.’ They called it my sign!” 

Because this is a long-established community, and residents remember who had the vision for the sign in the first place.

Stevens said, “It’s incredible how quickly people responded and helped. We had over 60 donors and raised over $6,000.”   

This is not the first time someone has destroyed the little corner entrance to East Sacramento. McKinley Park has been vandalized several times with items being stolen consistently. Yet Sept. 18 was a moment to celebrate the new sign, connect and remind themselves of their resilience. 

Janie Payne, a 45-year-resident, didn't hesitate to help donate to the new sign. The East Sacramento neighborhood is where she plans to “age in place.”

Payne said, “Driving past the sign meant I was home. When it went missing, that was sad. Who would steal it? It’s meant for the community, not someone’s backyard or a storage shed, for crying out loud.”

Former District 4 City Councilman Jeff Harris and newly elected District 4 City Councilman Phil Pluckebaum were also in attendance. Pluckebaum grew up in the neighborhood and understands the significance of the welcome sign. 

He said, “Our community spirit is expressed through our traditions and a shared identity that fosters unity and encourages individuals to contribute to the common good. This welcome sign embodies that spirit and is an excellent reminder of our values.”

Those values resonate in moments like these because thoughtless acts such as theft and vandalism are only temporary. East Sacramento's neighborhood pride is a life-long commitment. 

The East Sacramento Community Association is an all-volunteer board that has served the neighborhood since 1958. 

Their mission is to help preserve and protect the unique character of East Sacramento. They do this by engaging in land use and development issues, which have helped shape the area into what it is today. The East Sacramento Community Association also provides informational community meetings and fun events. Finally, the neighborhood association partners with law enforcement and local representatives to ensure the quality of life remains high.

The Friends of East Sacramento was founded in 2012. When the city looked at closing Clunie Community Center and the McKinley Rose Garden due to budget constraints, the organization stepped in. They are now the fundraising arm for these valuable resources and other maintenance and improvement projects in McKinley Park. They host home tours and work with the East Sacramento Community Association on events like Pops in the Park. 

Lisa Schmidt sums things up by explaining why the sign is essential to her neighborhood. “It lets everyone know they’ve arrived at East Sac.” Which means more to her and her neighbors than words can express. 

To visit the East Sacramento Community Association website, go to eastsacramento.org. To view the Friends of East Sacramento website, visit friendsofestsac.com.