Volunteers throughout Wood County rolled up their sleeves Saturday to make a difference in their
community.
They weren’t in it for the glamour – as they swept floors, painted walls and sorted seeds. They were part
of an annual nationwide effort called "Make a Difference Day."
"Make A Difference Day" is the nation’s largest single day of citizens volunteering in their
communities. Nationwide, an estimated three million people volunteered in their communities during the
2007 "Make a Difference Day," according to Whitney Hubbard, volunteer coordinator with United
Way in Wood County. (Photo: Benta Davis (Andrew Weber/Sentinel-Tribune))
This past Saturday in Wood County, nearly 60 people were organized through United Way to lend a helping
hand to local agencies.
Hubbard praised the volunteers for offering their time.
"I think that it is important for them to know that they are taking part of something that’s huge
and nationwide," she said. "And even if they are doing a small project, they are still making
a difference."
As volunteers gathered at W.W. Knight Preserve in Perrysburg Township, they undertook the tedious job of
cleaning seeds out of dried flowers. The tiny seeds will make a big difference as they help restore
areas of the Wood County Park District, according to Lori Anteau, volunteer services administrator with
the park district.
"It’s a big help for us. We cleaned a lot of seeds," Anteau said of the nearly 30 "Make a
Difference Day" volunteers that helped at the preserve. "We got a lot more done because of
their efforts. Thirty people can get a lot more done than one or two."
| Jenney Kusmer (Andrew Weber/Sentinel-Tribune) |
At the Wood County Historical Center, volunteers dusted, swept
and even got on their hands and knees to wash down baseboards with Murphy’s Oil Soap.
"They worked hard," said Kelli Kling, marketing coordinator at the historical museum.
Though the rambling museum gets regular cleaning, the "Make a Difference Day" volunteers made
the site shine for the tourism event held this weekend.
"This was the tourism weekend and we had more people," Kling said. "To have the museum
look and smell so fresh, I think that made a better impression."
And at the Wood County Health Department, volunteers painted four clinic examination rooms. The
volunteers, who are Bowling Green State University social work students, did all the prep and painting
work.
"They look beautiful. They did a nice job," said LuAnn Hogrefe, clinic supervisor. "They
were in desperate need of painting. They would not have gotten done otherwise."
