Employees show they care More than 90 U.Va. departments participated in Day of Caring

Photo by Matt Kelly

Procurement Services employee Susan Bonczar (center) dances with Carolyn Strickland (right), while U.Va. volunteer Tina Brice (behind left) dances with William Carr at a dance hosted by JABA as part of Day of Caring events.

By Matt Kelly

Swinging mattocks, wielding paintbrushes and dancing, they sought to make a difference.

About 720 U.Va. employees, that is.

These orange-clad volunteers painted buildings, cleared trails, read to children and provided pedicures to senior citizens on Sept. 22 as part of the United Way’s Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring.

Development Office employee Claire Leggett prepares the porch at FOCUS for painting.

“U.Va.’s participation in the Day of Caring this year is significantly greater than last year when 379 employees participated, working on 47 projects,” said Ida Lee Wootten, director of community relations. “The number of volunteers who came out to help this year shows the breadth of community spirit that resides within the U.Va. workforce.”

More than 90 departments participated, providing in excess of 70,000 hours of labor, valued by the United Way at more than $80,000.

While many new projects were added, some teams returned to familiar venues.

“It’s like we own it,” said Sheri States, whose volunteers from University Housing returned to Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic on Millmont Street. “We’ve got a relationship that is very important.”

Her crew cleaned the parking area, swept dirt, cleared debris from the shrubbery, repaired the ramp and power washed the building.

“It’s a lot of fun, and you can learn from it,” said Margaret Ragland, who works for Housing.

Their contribution “is invaluable,” said Janet C. Ewert, production director for RFBD. “They are doing work that agencies put off because they would be expensive to have the work done and money is tight.”

This is the second year Housing has adopted RFBD, and Ewert hopes they can come back in the future. “I would be happy to have them back,” she said, praising them for their diligence.

“I thought it was a good cause, and I wanted to make a difference in the community,” said University Development employee Claire Leggett, as she scraped paint from a front porch pillar at FOCUS, A Women’s Resource Center on Grady Avenue. “I love community service, and I did a lot of it growing up around here. It is great to use our abilities and resources to help other people.”

The paint-scraping crew was “lots of fun and helpful,” said Becky Weybright, executive director of FOCUS, who also praised a second crew that took stuff to the dump and the recycling center. “That isn’t always the nicest job. They can all come back anytime.”

“This is something different,” said Alton Morris, who works for Facilities Management Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. “It gives you a chance to get out and … meet people from the community.” He and several co-workers dismantled old playground equipment at Westminster Child Care Center on Rugby Road.

“It was nice to be part of something that made somebody’s day,” said Anna E. Rugo, of the Web Communications Office, who gave manicures to residents at Morningside Assisted Living in Charlottesville. “They were so happy and so appreciative. I was glad to be a part of it.”