Volunteers ready for dozens

of Day of Caring projects

By LAUREN HOUGH / Journal Staff Writer

MARTINSBURG — The United Way of the Eastern Panhandle will hold its annual Day of Caring on Tuesday, marking the event with more than 90 projects and more than 1,000 anticipated volunteers.

Along with the specific projects that will be undertaken by various groups, businesses and individuals from the tri-county area, much more help was offered this year in the form of donations of resources and supplies, said project coordinator Trina Bartlett.

Also making this year’s event special is the fact that it falls on a date many now associate with good works like giving back to one’s community.

Because the Day of Caring will be held on Sept. 11, many more individuals have contacted the United Way, wanting to do something special to honor the date and asking if they too could be a part of the event, Bartlett said.

“It’s having an impact on the multitude of volunteers we have,” she said, estimating about 1,000 people to lend a helpful hand over the course of the day.

Among other projects for various United Way agencies, the Department of Health and Human Services has put together a work group to address how the local community would work with and plan for various populations if a disaster were to occur, Bartlett said.

The Shepherd University basketball team will put together bags of informational materials in honor of September’s designation as disaster preparedness month, and plans to deliver the packets to the appropriate population groups the following week.

A Blitz Build project for Habitat for Humanity will involve about 10 people working to frame a new house, getting it under roof and setting the windows and doors on Tuesday, said Dave Griffin, senior vice president of Kettler Forlines Homes.

It is the first year for Kettler Forlines’ participation in the local Day of Caring, but the second year for the Eastern Panhandle Homebuilders Association’s involvement.

The goal is to have the home built in a week, Griffin said.

“It should be pretty easy to get done with that many people,” he said.

The Mega Food Drive, a continuing effort that will culminate on Tuesday, has also seen the participation of many local businesses, groups and agencies, like the five branches of Centra Bank.

Each branch was given a different theme, like “Veggie Mania,” or “Let’s Do Dinner,” and was encouraged to create a display for the bank lobby that reflected the idea and promoted participation in the food drive, said employee Elaine Bobo.

On Monday, the branches will be judged to see which had the most creative display, while on Tuesday, the food from Centra Bank and all other locations will be collected for distribution to area food pantries.

Various projects will be completed in all three Eastern Panhandle counties, and will be sandwiched in between a welcome breakfast for volunteers, scheduled for 7:30 a.m. at Morgan’s Grove Park in Shepherdstown, and a celebratory dinner donated by Outback Steakhouse from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Berkeley County Youth Fairgrounds.

“We’re hoping that volunteers know they can show up and get fed and relax after a day of hard work,” Bartlett said.

A former employee of the United Way in Charleston, Bartlett marveled at the support the local community shows for the Day of Caring each year.

“It’s so much bigger than those thousand volunteers,” she said. “It’s such a community effort. I’m just amazed by it.”



— Staff writer Lauren Hough can be reached at (304) 263-8931, ext. 163, or at lhough@journal-news.net