415 volunteers take part in Day of Caring
May 15—SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Volunteers worked Friday morning to help the Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation prepare for its summer programs as part of the countywide Day of Caring.
The annual Captain Jason B. Jones Memorial Day of Caring, run by Schuylkill United Way, brings volunteers from local companies to provide service to organizations throughout the county. The day is named after Jason B. Jones, of Orwigsburg, a commander with the Army Special Forces who was killed in Afghanistan in 2014.
"Without volunteers, we couldn't get this done," Kelly Malone, Schuylkill United Way executive director, said.
With 415 volunteers this year, Malone said the organizations are saving more than $35,000 for the work they needed to get done. Malone said the number of volunteers increased from 150 last year.
"After the pandemic, it's great to see people have not lost their sense of volunteerism," Malone said.
Jim Milham, Scout executive at the Hawk Mountain reservation, said around 115 volunteers were at the camp, with tasks including power washing, tree trimming, painting and gardening.
"It's a huge help for us," Milham said. "We wouldn't have had the money in our budget to do all this."
One group of volunteers, with representatives from Schuylkill Indivisible and the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, worked to move old tables out of cabins at the camp.
"This is one of the most amazing days in the county," Samantha Chivinski, member relations director for the chamber, said. "There are so many amazing organizations out here, and honoring Captain Jones like this is inspiring."
Terry Gross and Eli Hall, volunteering with Hydro, worked on repainting a gate at the camp.
"My kids are in the Boy Scouts," Gross said. "It's the right thing to do."
Jay Jones, Jason Jones' father, and a team of 16 people from his law firm, Williamson Friedberg & Jones, were also among the crews working at the scout camp. Jones said it is great to see so many people participating throughout the county in his son's name.
"It's so heartwarming," Jones said. "It's a great day every year. I just want to thank all the volunteers."
Other groups working at the camp were PPL Corp., Access Services, Schuylkill Conservation District, Wegmans, Amazon and the St. Joseph Center.
Volunteers were also sent to Child Development centers in Mahanoy City, Pottsville, Tamaqua, Fountain Springs and Shenandoah, as well as Avenues in Pottsville, the Salvation Army in Pottsville, Schuylkill Women in Crisis and Schuylkill YMCA.
Students and teachers from John S. Clarke Elementary Center, Blue Mountain Elementary-Cressona, Blue Mountain High School, Schuylkill Haven Area High School, Saint Clair Area School District and the Schuylkill Technology Center did work for the Child Development Centers, the Cressona cemetery, the Borough of Orwigsburg and Island Park in Schuylkill Haven. Some also placed flags at the graves of veterans.
"There are people all over the place today," Jones said. "It's really helpful to the community. We're out here rain or shine every year."
