Story Photos
 Photo by Roger Werth Weyerhaeuser Co. employee Karl Wischnofske spray paints a fence at Longview's Progress Center on Wednesday as Mitzi Wischnofske holds a tarp to protect the sidewalk. Co-worker and fellow volunteer Mike Karnofski clears hedge clippings to the left. |
Volunteers from local businesses help agencies for Day of Caring
Thursday, September 14, 2006 7:04 AM PDT
By Barbara LaBoe
Printable version
E-mail this articleHow do you spray paint playground equipment in the wind?
Very carefully, said Kynsi Darnell on Wednesday at Longview's Progress Center.
Darnell usually works for Weyerhaeuser Employees' Credit Union, but Wednesday she was one of 250 United Way volunteers from 26 area businesses participating in the annual Day of Caring.
In its 14th year, the United Way program matches volunteers with area agencies in need of some extra help, such as the Emergency Support Shelter, the Humane Society of Cowlitz County and the Progress Center. The day also gives the volunteers --- and the employers who release from their normal duties --- a way to give back to their community.
The event also is the kick-off for United Way's 2007 campaign. Last year the group raised more than $600,000 for local nonprofit groups.
Wednesday several Weyerhaeuser Co. and credit union employees worked at the Progress Center, which provides numerous services to area children. And Darnell --- along with other tellers --- got the job of spray painting the playground equipment.
They were game, they said, just concerned about the wind.
"There's no real secret, you just wait for it to stop and then you for it," Darnell said in between gusts.
Inside, credit union employees Wendi Barker and Hilary Erickson scraped, spackled and painted a storeroom, joking that they were so good they were (television decorating star) Ty Pennington's cousins.
"It's really gratifying to put in a hard day's work for the good of the community," said Barker as they waited for more spackle.
And across the yard engineer Ruth Stanaway gave up her day off to help trim and clear the center's lawn.
"It's a lot of work but it's fun," she said between raking. "It's nice to just be out and working with your co-workers and friends in another setting. It gives you a nice sense of accomplishment."
The volunteers may have enjoyed their work but the real winners are the agencies, said Kristine Langley a Progress Center teacher.
"Usually our employees end up donating time to do projects like this and we can ask for grants, but there's only so many times you can do that," she said. "This is just such a blessing."
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