Tuesday is deadline to register projects for Days of Caring
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on August 9, 2007 1:45 PM
Wayne County, roll up your sleeves and prepare for some heavy duty volunteer work as the 14th annual Days of Caring approaches.
It will be held Sept. 14-22 and is a county-wide effort to help local agencies.
"It's a chance for everybody in Wayne County to do something in their community, a chance to give back," said Barbara Stiles, director of Volunteer Wayne/RSVP, the coordinating agency.
"We're asking everybody to put their own cares on hold for just one time during the year and learn about all the good things going on in Wayne County. Open your heart and lend a hand."
The event is sponsored by United Way of Wayne County.
Days of Caring kicks off Sept. 14 at 8:30 a.m. on the steps of the courthouse on the Walnut Street side with an opening ceremony. There will be speakers and volunteers who will talk about what the event has meant to them. There will also be entertainment and refreshments.
Then the volunteering begins. Individuals both young and old, civic groups, businesses, school children, church groups and more will give of their time throughout the week to help local agencies with various needs.
Agencies that are nonprofit may register a project, big or small, through Volunteer Wayne.
The deadline for registering a project is Tuesday.
"We encourage agencies to think large," Mrs. Stiles said. "Think about things that may seem impossible and let us help you get them done. Call our office if you need an idea or advice for a project."
As volunteers register, they will be matched with agencies' needs. "We ask that volunteers register with us so we can tell the whole story of what all Wayne County did during Days of Caring," said Mrs. Stiles.
Agencies may register their projects and volunteers may register by logging onto www.volunteersolutions.org/uwwc/volunteer.
Last year, more than 1,200 volunteers took part in 30 projects that affected more than 4,000 people in Wayne County.
Projects registered so far:
*Wayne Opportunity Center -- needs an outdoor flag and electrical work done.
*Soup Kitchen -- needs 175 hygiene kits.
*American Red Cross -- needs a box truck painted (paint and supplies will be provided).
*Wayne County Partnership for Children -- needs a storage shed built or donated.
*Communities In Schools and Hispanic Development Center -- need backpacks filled with school supplies.
*Habitat for Humanity -- will do mini-blitzes builds in Goldsboro and Mount Olive and needs volunteers for construction or to provide lunch and also needs tools donated.
*Seymour Johnson Air Force Base -- needs pillowcases for dependents of deployed airmen.
*Head Start -- needs books and toys for preschoolers and garden supplies for a children's garden.
For more information about Days of Caring, call Volunteer Wayne at 735-5151, ext. 702.