September 17, 2014 – Olympia, Wash. – United Way of Thurston County will celebrate its 22nd Annual Day of Caring with over 700 volunteers and 34 local agencies on September 26 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Day of Caring is an unforgettable, hands-on experience providing volunteers an opportunity to actively improve our community while enhancing on team-building outside the workplace,” said United Way Executive Director, Paul Knox..
Day of Caring was established as the single largest day of volunteerism in Thurston County to increase awareness of human service organizations and demonstrate how people working together for the common good helps accomplish great things.
“United Way is connecting community partners and supporters with nonprofits throughout Thurston County to accomplish projects that can’t normally be done,” said Executive Director of Family Support Center, Schelli Slaughter.
Seasoned Day of Caring volunteer teams like Olympia Federal Savings, Anchor Bank, and Puget Sound Energy will participate in projects for the Olympia Downtown Association, Kiwanis Club of Olympia, Thurston County Food Bank and more. United Way also welcomes new participation from Umpqua Bank, Cabela’s and Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s B-Troop, 8-1 CAV 2-2 ID.
Volunteers will participate in over 40 different projects ranging from painting and landscaping low-income, disabled individual’s homes, harvesting food banks, and invasive plant pulling at locations throughout Thurston County (A full list of projects attached). United Way continues its longstanding partnership with Evergreen State College, which engages nearly 150 incoming freshman students in volunteer projects throughout Thurston County.
“New students from Evergreen will be joining Day of Caring to connect with our community, get to know important organizations working for justice and hopefully plant the seed to be involved
in more sustained learning through action in the future,” said Ellen Shortt Sanchez, director of the Center for Community-Based Learning and Action, The Evergreen State College.
This year, United Way also joined forces with the Olympia Downtown Association (ODA)to recruit volunteers for their Downtown Clean Up project and collaborate on the Day of Caring After Party.
Following the completion of team projects, volunteers and agencies will gather for a Day of Caring After-Party at the Olympia Press Building from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. to celebrate a rewarding day with food, drinks and raffle prizes.
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