Those interested in volunteering still have the opportunity to sign up for the Leflore County United Way’s fifth annual Day of Caring, to be held on June 10.
Freda Maxey, executive director of the United Way of Leflore County, said that last year’s projects attracted more than 200 volunteers.
“We completed more than 30 projects last year,” Maxey said.
Rocky Powers, chairman of the Leflore County United Way, said that the organization meets with participating agencies to find out what they need.
“We see what they need and and make arrangements for the materials and services,” Rocky Powers, chairman of the Leflore County United Way, said. “We look for the most important and feasible projects that we can handle in a day.”
Powers said volunteers come from as far as Memphis to participate in the Day of Caring.
“It gives everyone in the community a chance to come out and help people,” Powers said. “We always have more and more each year.”
He said the United Way welcomes more volunteers.
“Greenwood is full of people who need help,” he said.
The organization met for a planning luncheon on Friday at the Greenwood-Leflore Chamber of Commerce so that volunteers could meet with the agencies they would be helping.
“It really is a day of work, but everyone really enjoys it,” Maxey said.
Most projects are done by noon on the Day of Caring, Maxey said.
Maxey said that Reed Gaede, former manager of Greenwood’s J.C. Penney department store, suggested the idea. Gaede came from Florida where the Day of Caring was a program he had seen before.
The United Way will be assisting the Greater Blessings programs, a part of the Fuller Center for Housing. The program provides home improvement projects to people who own their homes but need help with renovations.
“Everyone has always given us everything we need,” Maxey said. “But, we can always use more volunteers.”
Those interested in volunteering can call 453-1910, but Maxey requested that they call before noon on Monday to allow the organization time to register them.
Participants will also receive a T-shirt for their participation in the Day of Caring.
Materials for the project were donated by sponsors of the event. They also will use items obtained by their Gifts in Kind program.
For a $500 membership fee, the United Way is given access to various building supplies through a home supply store.
“We have already received well over $34,000 in supplies in the last year and a half from Gifts in Kind,” Maxey said.
Powers said that helping others is a good feeling.
“We are always satisfied with out results whenever we are able to help someone,” he said. “It changes their lives. It may not seem big to some, but it makes all the difference to them.”
