Mike Wolanin | The Republic Volunteers Todd Kaller, left, and David Jones repair a bicycle for the United Way Day of Caring at the Columbus Bike Co-op in Columbus, Ind., Friday, May 5, 2023.
April Hemmerlein overflowed with gratitude Friday morning. And the director of the First Presbyterian Preschool all but gratefully gushed “Thank you very mulch” to a group of volunteers mainly from Centra Credit Union.
The helpers spread a new layer of mulch — 11 square yards worth — for safety on the preschool’s playground just installed last summer. Hemmerlein mentioned that their work as part of United Way of Bartholomew County’s Annual Day of Caring saved her from having to use her teachers for the task.
“It’s so wonderful for us to have such a great group of people all pitch in together,” she said. “So we are so very thankful. It definitely needed another layer (from last year). We’ve just had two groups of kids go out there and enjoy it.
“The volunteers were so completely willing to do whatever was needed, had a great attitude, were enthusiastic, worked hard and we couldn’t have asked for a better group of people.”
This was the first project the preschool had coordinated with United Way since the pandemic.
A total of 371 people fanned out across the county to pack school supplies, paint fences, build ramps, among dozens of efforts. In the past, such as 2016, more than 1,000 volunteers participated. But organizers streamlined projects shortly after that to improve efficiency and to avoid having more volunteers at a site than needed.
United Way launched the Day of Caring in 2015, according to Magen Pillar, the agency’s communications manager.
Through the years, volunteers have frequently said that the hands-on work gives them a close-up look at the needs and the impact of area non-profits and more. United Way’s next similar community outreach is the annual Day of Service scheduled in September.
Joel Philippsen organized a group of people from Columbus Regional Health’s marketing and physicians liaison team to work pulling weeds in pollinator garden beds at Blackwell Park. Philippsen has volunteered in the past for a simple reason.
“I always find the work really engaging,” he said.
Plus, he worked alongside local resident Eric Riddle, a community leader amid the pollinator garden movement.
“So I definitely learned some things about native plants and invasive species,” Philippsen said.
