Every day people help total strangers in all sorts of acts of kindness. It can range from helping someone with their groceries, to helping someone when their car breaks down or offering assistance in an emergency situation. Think about all the times you have helped a stranger, and then think about what the impact of your random act had on that person. You may never know the full scope of the impact, but odds are the act impacted their life greatly- even if for a short time.
This time of year many people are preparing for the long Wisconsin winter that will inevitably come our way; harvesting gardens, last minute repairs to homes and raking leaves to name a few. Every year volunteers join together for a morning in October to complete an act of kindness for a complete stranger.
This October 25, 2008 the Marshfield Area United Way Volunteer Center and the Marshfield News Herald will hold its seventh annual Make a Difference Day. Make a Difference Day is a national day of volunteering to rally the citizens of our local communities in an effort to improve the quality of life and encourage a spirit of giving. Each year we recruit and assign approximately 350 volunteers to rake the yards of 75 to 100 elderly or disabled residents.
Although these volunteers are helping out these area residents only for a short time and completing what some may think of as a small task- the impact of the work of the volunteers is immeasurable. If not for these volunteers many elderly or disabled residents would have to complete this task on their own or possibly leave it undone. Over the years I have received many phone calls and letters from recipients of Make a Difference Day. Each one is a personal testimonial of how the volunteers impacted their lives greatly.
Please join us and help us impact the lives of others. Volunteer with your family, friends or co-workers. You along with over 300 volunteers will make a difference in the lives of others by completing an act of kindness that will be sure to have an impact.
To volunteer or to have your lawn raked please call the Marshfield Area United Way Volunteer Center: Lawn assignments will be given out to all volunteers Saturday, October 25 at 8:30 a.m. at the Marshfield Senior Center.
Contributed by Sarah Krenn, Community Impact/Volunteer Center Coordinator
