A message from Marana Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta, originally posted by Tucson Local Media.

No matter how your Valentine’s Day went, you can skip the roses, chocolates and teddy bears because Marana’s love don’t cost a thing! There are many ways the town and its residents can show love for their community through specific services and opportunities for residents to engage.

The first opportunity is one that many of our incredible residents are already familiar with. Volunteering is a great way to connect with fellow community members and to make your town a better place to live, work and play. In Marana, you can volunteer in nearly any area of interest you wish. Whether you'd like to provide your skills through administrative work, help out with special events or contribute to public safety programs, we are happy to have you on board. To learn more, visit our volunteers webpage at maranaaz.gov/volunteer.

The Citizens Police Academy is designed to provide our citizens and business community with a greater understanding of the Marana Police Department and its operations through classroom instruction and hands-on experiences. This academy is a 42-hour block of instruction taught by department employees that showcases several units in the department with the objective to further our partnership with the community. You can also learn more about the inner workings of the police department by scheduling a ride-along with one of our officers. Visit maranaaz.gov/mpd to learn more.

The Parks and Recreation Department offers several volunteer opportunities through community events and public spaces and parks. The Town of Marana currently owns and maintains just over 57 miles of paths and trails. The Parks and Recreation Adopt-A-Trail Program allows an interested individual, informal group, or formal organization to volunteer their time to help maintain Marana’s trail system. To participate, visit MaranaAZ.gov/trails.

Similarly, the Public Works Department offers the Adopt a Roadway Program, where you can help keep roads clean by adopting a roadway and participating in quarterly cleanups. Public Works will provide supplies for your use, and your organization gets its name on a road sign. To learn more, call 382-2536.

The Town of Marana offers opportunities for students seeking experience. We work with student groups to accomplish big community-impact projects. This is a great opportunity to earn real-world working skills as you prepare for your future after school. In the past, students have completed projects and research that led to the development of an integrated tourism development plan, implemented an organization-wide data acquisition and performance management system to meet future service goals, partnered with the RTA to design bus shelters and so much more. You can see more on these student community projects at maranaaz.gov/students and learn how to start your own and have a lasting impact on Marana.

You don’t always have to leave your neighborhood to serve the community. The Town of Marana uses the help of two mobile apps to connect our community and help residents help each other. The My Marana App, available for both Android and iPhone, helps improve citizen accessibility by allowing users to report problems for the town to address.

Issues like abandoned bicycles and vehicles, damage to public property, illegal dumping, and potholes can be reported through photos, video, audio or email. By simplifying the reporting process, the town can keep Marana up to the high standards that our residents have come to expect. Users also have the option to use the My Marana App to receive town updates, pay water bills, view employment opportunities and connect with town social media.

The Marana Pets App, also available for Android and iPhone, leverages the power of communities to reunite families with their four-legged members. Next time you see a stray dog or cat, you can help bring them back to their owners by posting their information on the app. You can also view animals that have been picked up by Animal Services.

If you know someone who is passionate about community service and always gives some extra love to Marana, we want to know! Every year, the Town of Marana recognizes one organization and one individual for making their "mark" on the community with the Branding Iron Awards, and one youth age 18-and-under with the Youth Legacy Award.

Nominations are accepted through the end of February, and the recipients will accept their awards at the annual State of the Town luncheon with Mayor Ed Honea. This is a great opportunity to honor and recognize the hard work of your peers on a region-wide level. Visit maranaaz.gov to learn more.