In the community

Serve Day volunteers ready to tackle projects across the local area

ONTARIO – The 13th annual Community Serve Day event is scheduled to kick off later this month and organizers already can count on a robust list of projects for local volunteers to tackle.
This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, April 29, and volunteers will fan out across towns in Oregon and Idaho. They will spruce up parks, paint houses, plant trees and landscape.
The projects are in Ontario, Nyssa, Vale, Adrian, New Plymouth and Payette in Idaho.
The event is organized by the Ontario nonprofit Better Together.
Last year, the Community Serve Day worked on 108 projects, said Evelyn Dame, Community Serve Day coordinator.
“I think this year it will be 112 or more. We have a few that need to be evaluated and some are divided into several projects,” said Dame.
Dame said the event grows each year.
“I have a couple of 4H groups and church groups that have reached out that had not participated before,” said Dame.
She said 38 organizations pledged to participate. Chris Plummer, a Community Serve Day media consultant, said more than 300 volunteers have signed up.
The day accomplishes several goals, said Dame.
“It provides resources to meet needs but another part of it is the volunteers. It is camaraderie and team building,” said Dame.
The day begins at 8 a.m. Saturday with a breakfast at the Malheur County Fairgrounds cooked by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ontario second ward, said Dame.
Dame said the serve day organizers are still looking for volunteers. To participate in the event, interested individuals can go online to www.serveday.info.

News tip? Contact reporter Pat Caldwell at [email protected]

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