United Way Day of Caring Brings 175 Volunteers to 21 Projects
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteers Ashley Gummer, Katie Crowe and Ali Ziants, all Health Plan employees, work to dig up potatoes at the Seeing Hand Association's vegetable garden on Wheeling Island on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteer Nick Kuca, a Westlake employee, wipes shelves in the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center food pantry on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteer Braxton Robbins, a WesBanco employee, works the soil at the Seeing Hand Association's vegetable garden on Wheeling Island on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteers Jamie Simon, David Wheeler and Matt Kendall, all Westlake employees, wipe shelves in the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center food pantry on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteers David Whorton and Eric Thorngate, both Westlake employees, organize bread stock in preparation for cleaning in the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center food pantry on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Staci Stephen, executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley, thanks volunteers ahead of their work during the United Way's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring on Wednesday.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteer Paul Linder, a Westlake employee, washes the concrete with a machine in front of the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteers Ashley Gummer, Katie Crowe and Ali Ziants, all Health Plan employees, work to dig up potatoes at the Seeing Hand Association's vegetable garden on Wheeling Island on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteer Nick Kuca, a Westlake employee, wipes shelves in the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center food pantry on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteer Braxton Robbins, a WesBanco employee, works the soil at the Seeing Hand Association's vegetable garden on Wheeling Island on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteers Jamie Simon, David Wheeler and Matt Kendall, all Westlake employees, wipe shelves in the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center food pantry on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteers David Whorton and Eric Thorngate, both Westlake employees, organize bread stock in preparation for cleaning in the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center food pantry on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Staci Stephen, executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley, thanks volunteers ahead of their work during the United Way's Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring on Wednesday.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Volunteer Paul Linder, a Westlake employee, washes the concrete with a machine in front of the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center on Wednesday during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley Sandy O'Haver Day of Caring.
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WHEELING -- Volunteers washed, scrubbed, painted and dug their way through the many tasks assigned to them during the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley Sandy O’Haver Day of Caring on Wednesday.
Staci Stephen, executive director of the United Way, said 175 people signed up to volunteer their time at various organizations in need across the region.
Stephen told volunteers their work may not seem significant to them but is a big help to the organizations that often do not have the time or manpower for such tasks. Their work represents an estimated $48,706 in savings to the recipients.
“I know everyone in this room has busy lives; you have jobs, families, responsibilities and a hundred other things you could be doing today, but you made the choice to be here,” she said. “You chose to give your time to people and organizations in the community that need you. And that means more than you probably realize.”
She added that 175 volunteers would be taking on 21 projects throughout the day across the Ohio Valley.
“Those are impressive numbers, but to me it represents something much bigger,” Stephen said. “It represents 175 people who care enough to show up. It represents 21 organizations and projects that are going to be a little better because of your hands, your hard work and your willingness to help.
“And hopefully it represents a few moments today where someone looks at what you’ve done and thinks, someone cared to do this for us. Because that’s what Day of Caring is about. It’s about caring, it’s about neighbors helping neighbors. It’s about giving back to places that have given so much to us.”
Organizations that received help included the American Red Cross, CASA for Children, Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center, Cockayne Farmstead, Family Service, Harmony House, Holy Family Childcare, Kings Daughters Childcare, Marshall County Historical Society, New Martinsville Parks and Recreation, St. Clairsville Rotary Club, Seeing Hand Association, Sistersville Park and Pool, St. Vincent Society, Salvation Army of Weirton, Salvation Army of Belmont County, Tri-County Help Center, Tyler County Family Resource Network, Wheeling Health Right and Youth Services System.
Volunteers came from businesses including WVU Medicine, Belmont Savings Bank, Westlake, WesBanco, Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, Wheeling University, Main Street Bank, Covestro, Cardinal Operating, Harvey Goodman Realtors, The Health Plan, Jarvis Law, Bayer Heritage Credit Union, Wheeling Island Casino-Hotel-Racetrack, Unified Bank and Wheeling Nailers. There were also a few individuals who volunteered: Tom Kudla, Pam Obyc and Don Hores.
Volunteer David Wheeler of Wheeling was busy cleaning alongside his fellow Westlake employees at the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center. He said it was his first time doing the Day of Caring but not volunteering in general.
“I’ve helped out at different charities here in the Ohio Valley,” he said. “I like to help and give back to the community. Everyone should do charity work.”
David Beazel, food program manager with Catholic Charities, told the Westlake crew that the Neighborhood Center was Catholic Charities’ only day center in West Virginia.
“We’re here 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and half a day Saturday, and we’re closed on Sundays,” he said. “We serve hot breakfast and dinner every day. … We also deliver meals to people who are homebound in the area; that’s all volunteer operated.”
He added the pantry gives out food twice a week to the public.
“They get about 60-100 pounds of food,” Beazel said. “So, it’s nice. It covers that gap at the end of the month for three or four days when they don’t have anything in the cupboard; it helps them get to the next paycheck or when food stamps come in.”
The Neighborhood Center also helps people with utility bills if they have a termination notice. It also helps homeless people get into housing. Mental health counseling is also offered.
Beazel noted the center’s 30th annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser is coming up and the volunteers’ cleaning work would help prepare for that event.
“We appreciate you guys,” he said.
The Spaghetti Dinner is slated from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 20.
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