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United Way 211 Portage
Contact: Gloria Prendergast, Director of Community Involvement
Phone: 330-297-4636
gloria@uwportage.org
United Way holds 13th Annual Days of Caring
Local Companies’ Employees Volunteer for
Community Projects
Ravenna (July
25, 2006) -
Recently, over 100 employees of Portage
County-based businesses rolled up their sleeves and pitched in
to assist local social service agencies with a variety of
projects during United Way of Portage County’s “Days of Caring.”
“Days of Caring” is an annual volunteer event that gives area
companies’ employees a hands-on opportunity to help United Way’s
agencies while getting a glimpse of how the organizations
operate. Each year, local agencies contact United Way of
Portage County to outline tasks with which they need
assistance. Area employers receive the requests and interested
employees volunteer for a half-day of service at one of the work
sites.
United Way’s Gloria Prendergast, who coordinates the annual
event, said that “Days of Caring” gives social service agencies
the opportunity to showcase the services they provide to the
community, while giving employees and businesses a chance to
gain an appreciation of the impact the services have on those in
need in Portage County.
This year, participants cleaned, painted, raked, planted grass,
spread mulch, stocked groceries at food pantries, sorted donated
clothing, served lunch at hot meal sites, and read books and
played games with children as part of the event.
The enthusiastic teams of workers accomplished a great deal in a
short time. By all accounts, they enjoyed both the change of
pace and the knowledge that they were making a difference.
Prendergast notes: “We appreciate the great effort put forth by
area companies and their teams of employees who help out. In
return, the volunteers received many expressions of gratitude
from the agencies served.”
Programs receiving a helping hand during “Days of Caring”
included: The Salvation Army’s NE Portage Food Shelf, Kent
Social Services, Townhall II, St. Joseph’s Child Care, Center of
Hope, the American Red Cross, Safer Futures, Head Start sites in
Streetsboro and Ravenna, the County Clothing Center, the Boy
Scouts (Camp Chickagami), Coleman Adult Day Services (PASS),
Portage Private Industry Council, the Skeels-Mathews Community
Center, the Children’s Advocacy Center and the King-Kennedy
Center.
Employees of the following companies participated in the event:
Allen Aircraft, Ametek Electromechanical Group, Cosar Mold,
Deluxe Corporation, GE Ravenna Lamp Plant, Hiram College,
Huntington National Bank, Portage Community Bank, Ravenna
Rotary, Robinson Memorial Hospital, Sky Bank and Wal-mart.
United Way encourages area residents to give back
to the community by volunteering. Those interested can contact
United Way 211 Portage (formerly First Call for Help).
Many social service agencies accept volunteers for a day or a
week, and can use assistance with a variety of tasks. Please
call 211 Portage at 2-1-1, or at 330-297-4636 or
800-961-0191. For further information about United Way of
Portage County, or to make a donation, please call 330-297-1424,
extension 110, or visit
www.uwportage.org. |
