By Staff
A JOB WELL DONE n Volunteer Sammie Cole of Alliance Health Center, tests a restroom screen door at Camp Meridale. Photo by Steve Gillespie/The Meridian Star.
By Steve Gillespie/The Meridian Star
August 4, 2001
After a hearty breakfast Friday at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, "Day of Caring" volunteers went out to lend a hand at 12 East Mississippi United Way agencies.
A total of 140 volunteers from companies that will promote the United Way fund-raising campaign later this year took part in the day-long event.
Louis Sutton, United Way president, said this year's outreach brought in about 40 more volunteers than the first Day of Caring held last year.
Eleven volunteers from Alliance Health Center, a specialty hospital that treats people with psychiatric and chemical dependency problems, worked at Camp Meridale. Located about 7 miles south of Meridian, off Causeyville Road, it is the camp site for the Gulf Pines Girl Scout Council.
Alliance employees spent the day painting tables and benches, screening porches and repairing woodwork.
Camp ranger C.W. Rankin said the volunteers did a great job. "I was just amazed at how much they got done," Rankin said. "And it was quality work."
Other Day of Caring projects included:
Cleanup at Camp Binachi for the Boy Scouts by Clearspan and the East Mississippi Correctional Facility;
Painting and basic repairs at the Boys and Girls Club of Lauderdale County by Rush Health Systems;
Cleaning windows, organizing the file room and repotting plants at Meridian Speech and Hearing by BankPlus and The Boeing Company;
Yard work, rebuilding the handicap ramp at the chapel and painting at the Salvation Army by Beverly Health Care;
Buffing floors, painting and landscaping at Youth Excitement Team by Citizens National Bank;
Refurbishing playground equipment at Wesley House by Weems Mental Health Center; and
Painting and cleanup at United Way of East Mississippi by Riley Hospital.
Steve Gillespie is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3233, or e-mail him at sgillespie@themeridianstar.com.