United Way volunteers participate in Day of Caring

 

photos and story info provided by United Way staff

More than 560 volunteers took part in United Way’s 17th Annual Day of Caring. This year included 70 projects located throughout United Way’s six-county service area in the Fort Smith region.

The day began with a Kick-Off Breakfast at Golden Corral in Fort Smith, with more than 200 volunteers attending. During the program, United Way Community Partner Agencies spoke about the importance of Day of Caring and thanked those who participate each year. Ron Calhoun of Ron Calhoun and Associates served as this year’s Day of Caring Chairman and emcee of the breakfast. Following the kick-off, volunteers were dismissed to their work sites to complete their projects.

This year included a wide-range of projects such as yard work, one-on-one visits with nursing home residents, working in classrooms with children and small construction projects.

At Abilities Unlimited in Van Buren, Time Striping donated its time, manpower and resources to paint lines on the outdoor basketball courts. At the same location, volunteers from Arvest built a rock patio extending off the back of the building. Members of the Mulberry High School Beta Club volunteered for the second consecutive year at Abilities Unlimited clearing limbs and doing yard work.

“We take part in the Day of Caring every year and appreciate all of the hard work that is put in by the volunteers,” said Jerry Glidewell, executive director of the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club. “By having volunteers come help with projects at our four clubs, it saves our organization valuable donor dollars which can be better spent on the children we serve.”

At the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs, volunteers installed fence windscreens and batting cage nets to help get ready for the spring season.

In Fort Smith, Target, Baldor, Arvest and First National Bank volunteers cleaned two apartments to help prepare the units for remodeling.

At Girls Scouts, volunteers from Zero Mountain, Arvest, Golden Living, University of Arkansas Fort Smith, Hanna Oil & Gas, Liberty Bank, First National Bank of Fort Smith, Bank of the Ozarks, Arkansas Best Corp., Ron Calhoun & Associates, and OG&E did everything from wash windows to yard work to construct a new fire pit. Many volunteers cleared nature trails used to educate girl scouts about wildlife. At the River Valley Regional Food Bank, more than 50 volunteers helped to sort, label and box can goods that are donated to the organization.

“We are grateful to the volunteers for making this year’s event a great success,” said Sarah Fowler, resource development director for the United Way. “We also appreciate the companies who allow their employees time off to participate and work at our Community Partner Agencies.”

The 2010 Day of Caring Sponsors include: AOG, BancorpSouth, Citizens Bank & Trust, Experian, First National Bank of Fort Smith, Gerdau MacSteel, Golden Living, Liberty Bank of Arkansas, Littlefield Oil, Owens-Corning, Employees of Planters, Simmons First National Bank and Zero Mountain.