SitemapHundreds of volunteers spent Friday working hard for the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley’s Day of Caring.
A kickoff breakfast was held at the Covelli Centre for the 17th annual event. United Way President Bob Hannon unveiled this year’s campaign goal at the breakfast, which is set at $2.6 million.
This year’s Day of Caring features the most volunteers in the history of the event with close to 600 helping out.
United Way Spokesperson Roxann Sebest said the north side of Youngstown was their target with most of the volunteers helping out to clean up that area.
Mowers, clippers and heavy trucks lined Lora Avenue. Volunteers cut grass, trimmed bushes, and boarded up blighted houses. Garages were torn down and debris lying in yards and around vacant homes was taken away.
Sister Mary Alyce Koval, director of Beatitude House, said clients in the program are required to keep the four properties of the organization clean inside and out, and she is happy to see the neighborhood spruced up.
“I am grateful that the United Way has organized their volunteers to focus on our neighborhoods,” said Koval. “I think to see that other people are concerned about the same values that we have here at Beatitude House, I think it is encouraging for them, too.”
Many hands make light work was truly reality. Even students from Summit Academy helped out.
“We want to clean up and make the house nice for the people who live here and really show off these beautiful old houses,” said volunteer Liberty Merrill.
At Wick Park 80 volunteers put together a new play structure. With all the help, the structure should be complete before schedule. The YSU men’s basketball team was helping out at that location.
The project is a partnership with Youngstown CityScape, We Can Move Too and the city of Youngstown.
About 21 houses on the north side were spruced up with the help of 22 organizations.
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