Spencerport celebrates 'Day of Caring'

Volunteers in the Village of Spencerport will be out in full force to celebrate the annual Day of Caring, a program sponsored by the Greater Rochester United Way.

Last year, across the Greater Rochester area, more than 26,000 volunteers -- individuals and teams of employees from more than 200 local companies, organizations and unions -- participated in a variety of projects including community clean-ups, reading to children in day care centers and serving hot meals to seniors. The Day of Caring is a community day of hands-on volunteering designed to mobilize thousands of volunteers to offer their services to not-for-profit service providers.

The coordinator for the day, Pat Chapman, said she got involved because she was always used to being busy and organizing events.

"I was used to being a travel soccer mom for the longest time and was involved in the sports boosters so the Day of Caring fits right in with my wanting to be busy," she said. "The event ties into other activities like volunteerism, Earth Day, protecting an environment and just giving back to the community."

When Chapman organized the event last year she anticipated having 70 volunteers and was pleasantly surprised when more than 150 showed up. "This year she is planning on 100 volunteers but would welcome many more, she said.

Weather permitting, Chapman said volunteers would be coming out on Friday, April 29 to paint the gazebo. Saturday at 8 a.m. volunteers will gather at the gazebo and get their assignments which range from gardening to cleaning along the canal banks to labeling storm sewer drains with "no dumping" signs.

Following a welcome from Spencerport Mayor Ted Walker, volunteers will head off to the Exempts building for a quick breakfast before heading off to their tasks.

"We have members from Cooperative Extension and the local garden club come and give us pointers on the hows and wheres of planting," Chapman said. "The plants and flowers were all donated by local businesses."

Chapman asks that individuals call her at 352-3238 to pre-register for the event, mainly so she has an idea of how much breakfast food to have on hand.

"The Day of Caring is a great way for volunteers to come out and give back to the community and it seems like everyone in Spencerport gets involved, whether by volunteering or donating," she said.