Archive for the ‘united way’ tag
Little actions, big difference: How you can be a part in a national day of service
Making major changes in your own community sounds like a lot of responsibility for one person. There are many volunteers and active community members throughout Fort Collins, however sometimes it feels hard to have a huge impact. We are always so busy, some last second thing always seems to take up our schedules at any given moment, and by the time we get around to making a donation or working a volunteer shift somewhere around town, we cannot help but wonder if we had done enough.
Imagine, though, what would happen if we could gather hundreds, thousands, even millions of people together at once, all making a small contribution. The impact of such a collaboration would be amazing.
A volunteer effort of this size happens every year on national Make A Difference Day. On the fourth Saturday of October for the last eighteen years, people from across the country have organized volunteer efforts in their own towns. Last year, 3 million people registered as volunteers and implemented thousands of community improvement projects. Whether it is something as small as helping out a neighbor, or a nationwide effort that affects several cities at once, all volunteer efforts are celebrated on this day.
Last year, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, a 97-year-old retired teacher named Leola hosted her annual Flea Market. With the help of local volunteers, she gathered clothing, books, appliances, food, bikes, and anything else she can find, and displayed it for her neighbors to shop for in her yard- all for free. “I love Make A Difference Day because I can help so many people in just one day,” Leola says. “I just love seeing them take carloads away.”
Leola was a part of several volunteer organizations that received an honorary award for their contributions. Each year, USA Weekend, which founded Make A Difference Day, gives $10,000 awards to several volunteer organizations.
The United Way of Larimer County is dedicated to making sure that volunteers in our community can reach out and help others. As Leola and millions of other volunteers in the U.S. have shown, even just one small contribution goes a long way in one’s own town. Citizens in Fort Collins and all around Northern Colorado can register to volunteer with the United Way of Larimer Country and get connected to the many different projects going on in their communities. Last year, the United Way organized projects from painting and restoring run down homes to helping families in need care for their yards. The response to Make A Difference Day has been so strong in Larimer county that it has been extended throughout the entire week. This year, from October 19-October 24, you can participate as a volunteer in any way you wish.
There are so many different ways that you can help out this week. You can sign up for any project as an individual, put together a group and volunteer together, or even create your own project. Visit the United Way of Larimer County, and find out how easy it is to be a part of this nationwide volunteer experience.
No matter how you choose to participate, you will be a part of a huge effort to improve communities across America. Because when it comes to helping others, even the smallest thing can produce the biggest results.
