‘Connects Day’ sends 50 volunteers into community

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Dean Bellack, president of Orleans Community Connects’ board, takes a picture of volunteers from Baxter Healthcare before they left for their volunteer jobs during Community Connects Day.

KNOWLESVILLE – Volunteers from throughout the county joined together on Friday for Community Connects Day, sponsored by Orleans Community Connects.

Formerly known as Day of Caring, nearly 50 individuals arrived for breakfast at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, before embarking on their volunteer opportunities at a handful of sites.

Orleans Community Connects’ director Nyla Gaylord sits with volunteers Grace Ryan and Todd Schrauger, Baxter employees who volunteered for Community Connects Day on Friday.

Community Connects Day is a dedicated initiative that brings together volunteers and local nonprofits to complete meaningful projects which directly benefit the Orleans County Community.

More than a dozen volunteers came from Baxter on Friday, while others were from Velociti, Takeform, Western New York Energy and Orleans County Mental Health. Sites where they volunteered included Camp Rainbow, the YMCA, Cooperative Extension, Go Art! at Cooperative Extension, Hospice, P‘raising Kids and Arc GLOW.

Volunteers perform such duties as painting, lawn work, filing, cleaning, assembling bookcases and small maintenance jobs.

Orleans Community Connects’ director Nyla Gaylord welcomed volunteers and explained the organization’s name change and the successes achieved in recent years. This included grants and support for expanded broadband in Orleans County, including classes on how to use the modern technology.

“Our new name and new focus are to bring the community together, solve its problems and make it attractive for people to live here,” Gaylord said.

She also shared her appreciation to North Shore Network, who sponsored the day by providing funds for goodie bags for all volunteers. NSN, the company doing broadband installation in the county, is owned by Duston Ellis of Medina.

Dean Bellack, president of Orleans Community Connect’s board, addressed volunteers, saying the agency has made tremendous strides in recent years, having applied for and received more than $2 million in grants, which have funded a grant writer, broadband expansion, respite for caregivers and nutrition programs.

“Our next step is building finances to help towns and villages get state grants and to bring in housing and development,” Bellack said. “We are a housing development agency with a charitable component.”

Orleans Community Connects’ board president Dean Bellack chats with Rahema Quedue and Megan Davenport from Takeform on Friday before they leave for their volunteer opportunities for the day.

Gaylord and Bellack emphasized Orleans Community Connects will continue to give financial aid to its charitable partners throughout the county.

Among Friday’s volunteers were Grace Ryan from Baxter Healthcare. This is her third year of volunteering for the day.

“I have been a big supporter of everything Baxter does involving volunteers,” Ryan said. “I love doing it. Two years ago, I helped clean up the playground at Towne School, and last year I cleaned the storage at the YMCA. I’m going there this year.  It’s for sure I’ll be back again next year,” she said, giving a ‘thumbs up.’

Terry Kingdollar, a family support specialist with Arc GLOW, was with a group from the Arc’s Self Advocacy All Stars. Kingdollar said this was her third time volunteering.

“I like helping people,” she said.

Dawn Winkler, financial manager at Orleans Community Connects, checks in three volunteers at Community Connects Day – Cari Matusak and Larah Rotali from Baxter and Terry Kingdollar from Arc GLOW’s Self Advocacy All Stars.

Matt Luker came with co-workers from Western New York Energy.

“This is my first time here, but I’m a big community person,” he said. “I help in my community a lot, doing anything I can. I’m that kind of person.”

This was Megan Townsend’s first year to volunteer.

“I wanted to last year, but I was too busy at work,” she said. “So this year I made sure I had time this year.”

An employee of Takeform, Townsend headed to Camp Rainbow for the day.

Melinda Rhim, an employee of Orleans County Mental Health, has been an avid participant in the day for many years, going back to when she was on the board of United Way. She comes every year with a team of co-workers to volunteer.

A team from Western New York Energy wait to start out for their volunteer assignments at Community Connects Day on Friday, sponsored by Orleans Community Connects.