34 volunteers tackle several projects in annual Day of Caring in Orleans County

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Nyla Gaylord, director of United Way of Orleans County, welcomes volunteers for annual Day of Caring Friday morning at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

KNOWLESVILLE – A group of nearly three dozen volunteers stepped up on Friday to offer their services to eight charitable causes for the annual Day of Caring, sponsored by United Way of Orleans County.

United Way’s executive director Nyla Gaylord welcomed the volunteers at the Orleans County Fairgrounds, who were treated to breakfast pizza, coffee and donuts before embarking on their day’s assignments.

“Your volunteering today is another way to enhance your donations to United Way,” Gaylord told the volunteers gathered at the fairgrounds. “Every dollar we raise goes to help make our community better.”

Robert Batt, front, executive director of Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, loads gardening supplies in his vehicle for volunteers Steve Stringham and Aiden Cherry from Arc GLOW on Friday at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

As in past years, the majority of volunteers came from Baxter Healthcare, Velociti and Takeform, along with Orleans Mental Health, The Arc and Connie Brunnette.

After breakfast and a thank you from Gaylord, the volunteers embarked on their assignments, which included mulching and weeding at Arc Glow; garden projects at Cornell Cooperative Extension; making Christmas ornaments for GO Art! at Cooperative Extension’s Education building; painting and cleanup at Camp Rainbow; card making and gardening at Hospice of Orleans County, creek bank cleanup and bushwhacking for Boy Scouts of America; planting bushes and plants at P’Raising Kids; staining a fence at Care Net; and sorting and delivering fire extinguishers to the Office for the Aging.

Cousins Miranda Reamer and Anna Kurman from Velociti wait for breakfast pizza before embarking on their volunteer assignments at Day of Caring. The two also volunteered last year and came back to help again.

After enjoying breakfast pizza, volunteers were sent off with snacks and a bottle of water.

Cousins Miranda Reamer and Anna Kurman, both employees of Velociti, said they had volunteered last year and came back again because they enjoyed helping people. Last year they did landscaping at a doctor’s office in Medina, and this year they were going to Hospice to make greeting cards and do landscaping.

“We volunteered because this is a nice way to get out and give back to our community,” Kurman said.

“We work from home, so this is a great opportunity to get out in the air,” Reamer said.

Karen Krug, who volunteered from Orleans Mental Health with Melinda Rhim and Jessica Kincaid, said she volunteers because she knows the work United Way does in the county.

“Giving has to come from all avenues,” Krug said. “It’s this kind of stuff you show up for, and it’s very fulfilling.”

Krug said Rhim had requested they be assigned to Camp Rainbow, where they were going to paint and do cleanup.

“It’s nice to go back to the same location, because now we know what to do,” Krug said.

Rhim said she has been volunteering for Day of Caring for many years.

“I was on the board of United Way for 10 years and have done all kinds of projects for them,” Rhim said. “This is our third year at Camp Rainbow. I feel it’s a hidden gem. We feel the gratitude when we’re getting it ready for the kids.”

Ryin Moriarity, an employee from Baxter, said this was her second year volunteering. They were going to the YMCA in Medina.

“They need a lot of landscaping and we have a large group and wanted to stick together,” Moriarity said.

Jodi Fisher, program director and State-Wide Community Regrant coordinator at Go Art!, came to Day of Caring at Cooperative Extension to paint light bulbs for Christmas ornaments, which are sold as a fundraiser.

Gaylord shared news of a $3,000 grant United Way received from Heritage Wind to buy fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. She said this was a result of the frequency of house fires in the area, and United Way wanted to make sure the most vulnerable (aging and disabled) were protected. Volunteers assisted in delivering them to the Office for the Aging later in the morning.

At the fairgrounds, Cooperative Extension director Robert Batt loaded gardening tools for volunteers Steve Stringham and Aiden Cherry from The Arc, who were going to do gardening projects.

“We are doing a hedge row garden and the Master Gardeners need some help getting it prepped today,” Batt said.

Volunteers lined up Friday morning to get their assignments for Day of Caring. Thirty-four volunteers from local businesses donated their time on Friday to help charitable causes.