United Way Day of Caring kicks off Saturday

Published 6:06 pm Tuesday, September 2, 2014

United Way of Clallam County has arranged community volunteer opportunities, called the Day of Caring, as part of the beginning of the United Way annual fund drive. This year, most volunteer opportunities will be on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Companies, faith groups and service clubs are gathering a corps of volunteers and adopting projects for a great team building opportunity. Other community members and especially families are welcome to join in on any project.

There are multiple projects from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in Port Angeles and Sequim and on a future, to be determined date, projects will occur in Forks and Clallam Bay.

In Sequim, United Way is partnering with the City of Sequim on two projects – removing kinnikinnick along Blake Avenue and hopefully continuing last year’s work in Gerhardt Park. Other projects include painting at the Sequim Food Bank and the Boys & Girls Club and organizing the library at the Boys & Girls Club. Several groups are organizing their own Day of Caring projects, including the First Teacher children who will be making flowers to deliver to a senior facility, and Dungeness Valley Lutheran Church which has many different activities planned for members.

In Port Angeles, projects include assembling raised garden beds for Serenity House, sprucing up at First Step, Dream Playground and Frances Street Park, painting and cabinet assembling at Horizon House for Peninsula Behavioral Health, painting at the Salvation Army, painting and installing coving at the Port Angeles Boys & Girls Club and painting porch railings at the OlyCAP Head Start Hamilton School site.

This effort launches the United Way 2014-2015 annual fund drive, which runs from September-December. This year’s goal is to raise $1 million. Last year, United Way raised $881,418 which has been distributed to local non-profits throughout the year.

Contact United Way at 457-3011 or info@unitedwayclallam.org to volunteer or to arrange a team of volunteers.

Early learning grants available

United Way of Clallam County announced recently that $100,000 is available for early learning grants. A portion of those funds will be allocated to programs which will be renewing last year’s grants.

To be eligible, agencies must attend one of two mandatory bidders conferences: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, at Linkletter Hall, or 3-5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, in the Fairster Room, both at Olympic Memorial Hospital, 939 Caroline St., Port Angeles. The bidders’ conference includes a mandatory one-hour outcomes training.Great Beginnings grant applications will be due no later than close of business Friday, Oct. 3.

For more information or to receive a copy of the Great Beginnings Grant application, call Community Solutions manager Patrice Varela-Daylo at 360-643-1019 or United Way at 457-3011, or e-mail to patrice@unitedwayclallam.org.