Day of Caring: United Way Volunteers Make a Lasting Impact on the Community

Volunteers help clean up around the Woodhaven Ampitheater during Mahaska County United Way Day of Caring 2024. (photo submitted)

On September 11, the United Way of Mahaska County hosted its annual “Day of Caring,” a volunteer event dedicated to community service. This year, the event carried special significance, as it coincided with the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, offering a meaningful way to honor both the memory of that day and the spirit of giving back.

“We always schedule the Day of Caring on or around 9/11 because we want to give back. It’s a day to remember and volunteer,” said Michella Friesen from United Way of Mahaska County. The day brought together over 70 volunteers, a mix of private individuals and teams from local businesses, eager to assist with various projects around the community.

The volunteers tackled more than 20 different projects, helping elderly residents with home repairs and contributing to local nonprofit organizations. One particularly moving effort involved volunteers repairing the ceiling of an older woman’s home. Her roof had previously been fixed, but the water damage inside her home had not yet been addressed. Thanks to the skilled hands of the volunteers, the ceiling was restored.

Other teams spent the day painting homes, cleaning windows, and landscaping at community spaces such as the Woodhaven Amphitheater and the George Daily Auditorium. Volunteers also gave a facelift to FACE (Family Advancement for Community Engagement), scraping and repainting windows and clearing out excess materials.

“Day of Caring is about showing the community love. We’ve had teams washing windows, painting, pulling weeds, and doing much more to make sure people feel supported,” Friesen shared during the event.

Volunteers enjoyed a well-deserved lunch together, where they had the opportunity to meet others who contributed to the day’s success. “Regardless of the shift they worked—morning or afternoon—we invite everyone to lunch as a way to say thank you to our volunteers,” Friesen added.

The event showcased the power of collective action, as volunteers helped both private individuals and area nonprofits with projects that would have otherwise been left undone.

The Day of Caring continues to be an integral part of the United Way’s mission to create a stronger, more connected community, bringing people together in the spirit of service and remembrance.

For those interested in getting involved in future events, the United Way of Mahaska County encourages signing up individually or as a team to make a difference in the local community.