Published: September 20, 2008 10:32 pm         

Day of Caring starts

Hundreds of volunteers traded suits for “Live United” T-shirts Thursday to hammer, paint and sweep for Stillwater’s Annual Day of Caring. The community-wide event launched the 2008 Stillwater Area United Way campaign to raise $800,000.

This year, 29 teams of volunteers turned the tables on Stillwater’s 25 United Way agencies by “helping those who help.” Projects that don’t fit in the tight budgets of agencies and their clients, from painting to deep cleaning, are completed on the Day of Caring.

This year’s list included everything from weatherproofing at the Girl Scout Camp, painting at the YMCA, Sheltered Workshop and United Way office to exterior clean-ups at the homes of several Mobile Meals recipients.

Stillwater Police Lt. Kyle Gibbs is project chair of Day of Caring 2008. He’s been involved with Day of Caring since 2004 when he coordinated a team for the Stillwater Domestic Violence Services board. A longtime “DIYer,” Gibbs said he was hooked by the opportunity to put his skills to work in the community. Gibbs joined the United Way board in 2005 and worked with Gene Wollenberg of the Payne County Bank and Ryan Smith of Grimsley’s who coordinated Day of Caring in 2005 and 2006.

Gibbs says he was amazed at the organization, analysis and planning required to pull off 30 or more projects simultaneously on the Day of Caring. In 2007, with Smith mentoring, Gibbs became the one filling in spreadsheets and delivering tools and supplies.

“I realize now, I’m no general contractor, but I am a DIYer fulfilled and will be involved with Day of Caring in the future,” says Gibbs. And he’s especially appreciative of the corporate sponsors that put tools and materials into the hands of the volunteers and ultimately into the spaces where agencies do their important work.

“Sometimes I think the most valuable part of Day of Caring is getting people into the United Way agencies where they realize how much is being done with so little,” says Gibbs. “The people on the United Way board understand the personal dedication of our agency staffs, but a picture is always worth a thousand words and seeing it up close and personal creates a new group of United Way advocates each year,” according to Gibbs.

Stillwater Medical Center is again supporting Day of Caring as the major corporate sponsor. And this year’s corporate partners include BancFirst, Mercruiser, the OSU Foundation, Stillwater Designs/ Kicker, Stillwater National Bank and the Stillwater Fraternal Order of Police.

As always, the Day of Caring began at a 7:30 breakfast in the Sirloin Stockade for the nearly 400 volunteers. The work concluded at noon with a community lunch in the Payne County Expo Center.

Live United is the theme for United Way and this year’s campaign. It’s a way of saying “together we can all contribute to the common good by giving, volunteering or advocating for the building blocks of a good life.” United Ways all across the nation are focusing on results such as education that will lead to future success, income that can support a family through retirement and good health for a lifetime.

If every citizen could count on those three things, every community would be better off. And if we Live United through United Way, we can solve problems before they become problems.

Kathleen Mixon of CREC is the campaign chair for the 2008 United Way fund drive. Paul Vela of ONG is the current United Way board president. Arrangements for a Live United program can be made through the United Way office by calling 377-2161. Campaign materials, including a campaign video, are available on the United Way web site www.stillwaterunitedway.org.

Since 1952, the Stillwater Area United Way has raised $13 million to meet community needs in Stillwater. Just last April, the Stillwater Area United Way joined United Ways in Ponca City and Enid to support the implementation of 2-1-1 services for North Central Oklahoma.

Not only does 2-1-1 offer a one-stop phone number for citizens to find health and social services they need, 2-1-1 provides valuable feedback to service agencies and communities on emerging needs and service gaps.

Contributions to the Stillwater Area United Way may be made in person in the United Way office, 109 East Ninth Avenue in downtown Stillwater, by mail to P. O. Box 308 and online at our secure web site, www.stillwaterunitedway.org. or by calling 377-2161.ι

     

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