Community tradition that makes a difference
Day of Caring going 29 years strong
Photos Courtesy of UNITED WAY OF MIFFLIN-JUNIATA Trending
LEWISTOWN -- Before the paint cans are opened, before the flower beds are mulched, and before the first volunteer lifts a hammer or rake, something extraordinary begins to take shape across Mifflin and Juniata counties.
It starts with people. Neighbors step away from their daily routines. Businesses encourage employees to volunteer. Community organizations open their doors to helping hands. Then, for one day each year, hundreds of individuals come together with a shared mission: making their communities stronger.
This September, the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata will be closing in on a major milestone as it hosts the 29th Annual Day of Caring, a volunteer-driven event that has become one of the region’s most recognizable traditions of community service.
For almost three decades, Day of Caring has united residents, businesses, civic groups and non-profit organizations in a collective effort to improve communities throughout Mifflin and Juniata counties. What began as a local volunteer initiative has evolved into the largest annual volunteer event organized by the United Way, generating thousands of hours of service and countless success stories along the way.
Scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 16, this year’s Day of Caring is expected to involve more than 35 project sites throughout the two-county region. Volunteers will spend the day painting, landscaping, building, cleaning, organizing and completing projects that many local organizations simply do not have the staff, time or financial resources to accomplish on their own.
The need for that support is significant. Non-profit organizations, schools, parks, municipal facilities and community agencies often operate with limited budgets and small staffs. While their focus remains on serving local residents, important maintenance and improvement projects can sometimes be pushed to the bottom of the priority list.
The event also serves as kickoff to the annual fundraising campaign.
"We have 14 agencies that the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata helps fund programs within these area agencies, our funding is very, very important to those agencies, in many cases without United Way funding many programs could not go on," explained United Way of Mifflin-Juniata Executive Director Colette Hartzler explained. "We are thankful for the individual donor, but the easiest way to give is through your workplace campaign.
"Once you’ve committed an amount you don’t have to think about it anymore, commit it and forget it," Hartzler added. "Imagine if everyone committed a dollar a week to their workplace campaign."
Day of Caring helps bridge that gap by providing a skilled and enthusiastic workforce ready to tackle those tasks. The impact can be dramatic. During a previous Day of Caring event, approximately 424 volunteers completed projects for 39 non-profit organizations and government entities throughout Mifflin and Juniata counties.
In a single day, projects that might otherwise have taken weeks or even months to complete were transformed through teamwork, dedication, and community spirit. Over the years, volunteers have painted community buildings, improved playgrounds, landscaped parks, organized food pantries, repaired facilities and prepared firewood for families in need during the winter months.
Each project is different, but the result is the same: organizations receive valuable assistance while communities benefit from safer, cleaner and more welcoming spaces. Yet Day of Caring has always been about more than completing projects.
The event creates connections among people who may never otherwise cross paths. Volunteers work alongside coworkers, community leaders, retirees, students, and non-profit staff members. Throughout the day, relationships are formed, new perspectives are gained and participants develop a deeper appreciation for the organizations working behind the scenes to improve local quality of life.
Many volunteers return year after year because of that sense of connection. For some, it is an opportunity to give back to the community that has supported them. For others, it is a chance to introduce younger generations to the value of service. Regardless of motivation, participants become part of something much larger than themselves, continuing a tradition that has strengthened the region for 29 years.
"What makes a donation to United Way so significant is one donation is committed to 14 agencies and 2 other programs that United Way feels are just too important to the well-being of our counties: The Nurses pantry and the Energy bank," Hartzler said. "Keeping kids in school is the best way to give our kids a fighting chance to education and achievement, we want families and grandparents and veterans to stay warm in the winter.
"This is the work we do, and so as we prepare for a Day of Caring and fill the 2 counties with workers who will accomplish so much needed labor, we’re counting on a great campaign year to fill out two counties with support and resources to continue important work long after September 16 is over," Hartzler added.
Local businesses have long been among the event’s strongest supporters. Many not only provide volunteers but also contribute financially through sponsorships that help make Day of Caring possible.
As the United Way prepares to celebrate the 29th Day of Caring, organizers continue to see the event as a reflection of what makes the Mifflin-Juniata community special. In an age when many people feel increasingly disconnected, the annual event serves as a reminder that meaningful change often begins with simple acts of service.
A fresh coat of paint, a cleaned-up playground, an organized pantry or a newly landscaped community space might seem like small accomplishments on their own. Together, however, they represent something much larger: neighbors investing in neighbors.
Nearly 30 years after the first Day of Caring, that spirit remains as strong as ever. When volunteers arrive at project sites this September, they will not simply be completing tasks. They will be continuing a tradition that has touched countless lives, strengthened local organizations, and demonstrated the power of community collaboration.
At the end of the day, the paint brushes will be cleaned, the tools packed away, and the projects completed. But the impact will continue long after the volunteers go home. That is the legacy of Day of Caring, and after all of these years, it remains one of the community’s greatest strengths.