Tuscarawas County responds on annual United Way Day of Caring
More than 135 volunteers from area companies spent Friday helping Tuscarawas County nonrofits in partnership with the United Way of Tuscarawas County’s annual Day of Caring.
The crew that worked at the Reeves Museum in Dover approached their work with amazing energy, according to Tamara Benson, assistant curator.
"By like 7:30 (a.m.), they were here, and gloves on, ready to go," she said. "It's a great group."
While Benson and administrative assistant Amy Zurcher waited for gardener Susan Corder to start directing the volunteers, one of them already had workers mulching trees and flower beds. Weeding flower beds on the grounds was part of the job.
"It's a lot of backbreaking work," said Corder.
Vickie Richmond, a customer service representative from Cooper Standard in New Philadelphia, appreciated the chance to spend the warm, sunny morning outdoors.
"It's a nice break, love to be outside, love to help people," she said.
Happy chatter filled the air nearby, where three of her coworkers tended another flower bed.
"We're lucky; we have a really good group to work with," said Staci Angelo, part of a team that included Heidi Stull and Carrie Jackson.
"We are so grateful to the United Way for organizing the Day of Caring and all the volunteers who come out to work," said Shelagh Pruni, Reeves Museum director. "Every year, this helps us make a huge dent in getting our gardens ready for the season."
Cooper Standard was among 23 local companies and organizations contributing volunteers on Friday. Others were Andreas Furniture, The Barnett Realtors, Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Ohio, The Commercial & Savings Bank, Dover Chemical, DoverPhila Federal Credit Union, Dover-New Philadelphia Kiwanis Club, Edward Jones-Kendall Financial Advisors, First Federal Community Bank, First National Bank of Dennison, Gradall, Kraton Chemical, Noah’s Hope Child Advocacy Center, RE/MAX Crossroads, Park National Bank, Staley Technologies, Society for Equal Access, Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Tuscarawas County Family & Children First Council, Tusco Display, Twin City Medical Center and Unified Bank. All provided hands-on help at nonprofit locations.
Volunteers painted several projects for the Dennison Depot and Empower Tusc. Meanwhile, Trumpet in the Land, Historic Schoenbrunn Village, Historic Zoar Village, Reeves Museum, Salvation Army of Dover-New Philadelphia, Dover Library, and the Ohio & Erie Canal trailhead in Zoar all received a spring cleanup of the grounds. Other projects included Blessings in a Backpack-New Philadelphia and TUFF Bags, with volunteers packing weekend meals to be delivered to local students.
“Tuscarawas County residents have been so generous to the United Way so now we would like to give back," said Susan Reidenbach, United Way of Tuscarawas County community resources coordinator. "This event is a great way for United Way to promote their mission of building a sustainable community.”
First National Bank of Dennison sponsored the Day of Caring.
“We were happy to be able to help make this day happen. Seeing so many volunteers makes you proud to be a part of this community,” said Nichole Zesiger, president of First National Bank of Dennison.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Tuscarawas County responds on annual United Way Day of Caring
