Wednesday, Sep. 16, 2009

Rantin: Sign on for day of action

The United Way of the Midlands still needs volunteers to help with Friday’s Day of Action.

Residents from throughout the area will take on a variety of community improvement and cleanup projects as part of the event, held several times each year.

Seventeen companies and organizations have formed teams to do the work, which will assist almost 20 nonprofit organizations in the Midlands.

“The idea behind the Day of Action is to bring everyone together to volunteer on one specific day,” said Mac Bennett, United Way president and chief executive officer. “We know that, collectively, volunteers can have a tremendous impact on the vitality of a community.”

Friday’s projects will include cleaning up along riverways, painting kettles for The Salvation Army’s annual Christmas drive and assembling disaster preparedness kits for the American Red Cross of Central South Carolina.

“I am pleased that we were able to match so many people up with meaningful projects,” said Eric Roberts, United Way volunteer center manager. “It may not seem that much can be accomplished in only one day, but a group of 10 or 20 people can really make a huge impact on a nonprofit organization in just a few hours.”

Entering the week, about 300 people had signed up for a project, but there were still opportunities to get involved.

To sign up, call Roberts at (803) 758-6987.

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The Central Carolina Community Foundation has elected new officers and members to its board of trustees.

This year’s officers are D. Michael Kelly, chair; J. Hagood Tighe, vice chair; and Judith M. Davis, secretary-treasurer.

New board members include Love Collins III, Eric M. Elkins, David G. Hodges, Jackie S. Howie, Barbara Rackes, Martha Scott Smith, Nancy Spencer, and Susie H. VanHuss.

Central Carolina Community Foundation serves 11 Midlands counties by distributing grants and scholarships and linking resources to communities in need.

For more information, visit yourfoundation.org or call (803) 254-5601.

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