Volunteers ‘Live United,’ show the Valley they care

By Jon Moffett

Hundreds of volunteers gave back by performing community service.

YOUNGSTOWN — Hundreds of Mahoning Valley residents took a day off and got an early start to some weekend odd jobs.

Volunteers from area businesses spent much of their day Friday performing community-service projects throughout the city as part of the United Way’s 12th annual Day of Caring.

The event helps local nonprofit organizations with various tasks including paintings, landscaping, construction, serving meals and general cleanup. The event began with a kickoff breakfast Friday morning with a speech by Mayor Jay Williams.

“This is a way for the United Way to kick off its corporate workplace campaign and get some people involved for the 2010 year,” said Ryan Pastore of National City Bank. “Some of the agencies United Way has, they go out and do things like this to kind of help out, do our part and really give back.”

The event had service projects at 34 different locations, including the Beatitude House on Fifth Avenue, where Pastore and other members of National City Bank were working. The Beatitude House is a program for homeless women and children and provides food and shelter.

The National City group was painting and landscaping, which Sister Mary Alyce Kabol, site coordinator of Beatitude House, said was a welcome relief.

“They’re freshening up the doors on all of the buildings so that we physically give the impression that we are welcoming the women into our program,” she said. “And they’re also sprucing up the landscaping so that the whole site looks welcoming, inviting and taken care of.”

Sister Mary Alyce said the volunteer work is a sign that there is still hope for the area.

“To me, it’s an affirmation of the service we’re doing in the community,” she said. “Hopefully, maybe one of these women will someday be working on the other side and be fellow workers with the people here today.”

Though the volunteer projects were beneficial for those receiving the work, they were just as fulfilling for those working. The workers donned white T-shirts with the words “Live United” printed on the front.

Pastore said giving back is the best way to ensure a successful society.

“We thrive as the community thrives,” he said. “I think it says a lot about our community on how we pull together when things get tough.”

Rachel Davis-Parnell of Austintown led a group of volunteers from the Casal Aveda Institute in Austintown in weeding and maintaining the green areas downtown. She said the group, from all over the Mahoning Valley, enjoyed the work.

“Anything you can do to get out in the community and help is a good thing.” Davis-Parnell said.

jmoffett@vindy.com