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As Staci Stephen, the executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley, looked over the more than 150 volunteers who converged at Wheeling Park's White Palace on Wednesday morning, ready to spread through the community and help nonprofits from Brooke to Wetzel counties, she felt multiple emotions.
"Just the outpouring of support for the agencies and for the United Way, it was overwhelming and it was very fulfilling to see that," she said.
Those dozens of volunteers fanned out through the Ohio Valley to help with around 20 projects during the organization's 32nd annual Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring. Nonprofit organizations all over got helping hands in performing tasks that they otherwise would not have been able to tackle.
Some of those tasks were as simple as helping fold and sort clothes or pulling weeds, but for those groups that could use the help, they couldn't have been more grateful.
The Day of Caring is the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's kickoff to its annual campaign, this year themed "Raised Here, Stays Here," a signal that the funds raised by the organization would go right back into the Ohio Valley, assisting wherever needed. The Day of Caring follows in the same vein, Stephen said. Volunteers from businesses around the region went into the local community to put in some sweat equity.
"A lot of people, I think, think to themselves, 'Well, I don't have the money to give, but I want to help in some way,'" Stephen said. "And I think this is another good way for those people to be able to give back as well."
Twenty-seven companies and 15 agencies participated in Wednesday's event. Companies included AEP's Mitchell Plant, Belmont Savings Bank, Cafe 1925, Cardinal Operating, Capital Health, Covestro, The Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, Harvey Goodman Realtor, Jarvis Law Offices, Main Street Bank, MOS, the Ohio County Clerk's Office, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin's office, The Health Plan, Trinity Health Systems, Unified Bank, United Bank, Valley Hospice, WesBanco, Westlake Chemical, the Wheeling Island Hotel-Racetrack-Casino, the Wheeling Nailers, West Virginia Northern Community College and WVU Medicine.
Agencies included the American Red Cross, the Bethlehem Apostolic Temple, Cockayne Farmstead, Family Services of the Upper Ohio Valley, Gabriel Project, Girl Scouts, Harmony House, King's Daughters Daycare, New Martinsville Parks and Recreation, Seeing Hand Association, St. John's Home, Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, Wheeling Health Right and Youth Services System.
Volunteers from Main Street Bank went to St. John's Home to pull weeds and build playground equipment that had been sitting undone. Volunteers from the Nailers painted at Harmony House. A group from WVU Medicine went to the Girl Scouts camp in Triadelphia to fix things up.
Nonprofit organizations often don't have the time or staff to dig into those tasks, Stephen said. An organization's executive director might also work in development, IT or maintenance.
"Unfortunately, most nonprofits are underfunded and understaffed," she said. "So, some of that stuff just goes by the wayside and you don't ever get a chance to get to it. So (the Day of Caring) is a huge day for local agencies because it's a lot of things that may have been on their bucket list all year that they just didn't have time to get to."
Stephen said she was astounded by the number of companies who turn out to offer their time for the Day of Caring. These are people with full and busy schedules, too, she said. For so many to come out and help makes her feel good about the Ohio Valley community as a whole.
"It's amazing to see that many volunteers," she said. "Just to see that many people there who want to get out in the community and help these agencies that are providing critical services to our community, it was an amazing sight."