Local Companies, Volunteers Gear Up for Day of Caring
PIONEER VALLEY — A sea of royal-blue “Live United” T-shirts will sweep over Western Mass. on Friday as volunteers for the United Way of Pioneer Valley’s 21st annual Day of Caring will head out for their assignments. Close to 1,000 volunteers make a difference during the annual United Way Day of Caring event on Sept. 5.
The Day of Caring is a great opportunity for team building and allows volunteers to make a hands-on impact in the community. Volunteers spend the day in a nonprofit agency in the Pioneer Valley, meeting needs by completing projects that organizations haven’t had the time, money, or staff to address.
“I have been fortunate enough to participate in the Day of Caring at least six or seven times, and each time I left the location feeling good about the job I was able to do, which helped make things a little easier or better for someone else,” said John Arooth, financial analyst at Westfield Bank, who participated in the 2013 Day of Caring. “It really is a rewarding feeling knowing that you were able to do things like brighten someone’s day, beautify an area park, or even make a child’s play area a little safer.”
Volunteers from 22 local companies will work this Friday on approximately 90 projects for 33 nonprofit organizations in the area. The 2014 Day of Caring sponsors are MassMutual Financial Group, Quabbin Wire, Balise, Harry Grodsky & Co. Inc., PeoplesBank, UTC Aerospace Systems – Machinists Union Local 743, Chicopee Savings Charitable Foundation, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, People’s United Bank, Mestek Inc., United Bank, and Westfield Bank.
