VERO BEACH — City of Vero Beach mayor Pilar Turner has issued a proclamation declaring the last Saturday in April, 2012, as the Indian River County Day of Service. A similar proclamation was issued by The County Commissioner’s Office on April 10.
On April 28, at 8 a.m., at the west end of the Indian River Mall, members of over twenty churches and civic organizations and many other volunteers from the community will join hands and link arms for the Fourth Annual Indian River County Day of Service.
Fifteen service and community beautification projects are planned which will benefit individuals and service agencies in the community, including projects to help the American Red Cross, The Environmental Learning Center, Harvest Food and Outreach Center, Habitat Home Center, Hibiscus Children’s Center, Sebastian Senior Center, The Source, The Indian River County Blood Bank, and Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge.
A wide variety of projects, from fixing bicycles to weeding and mulching, to preparing lunches, to sorting and organizing shelves will allow for families and seniors to help.
Volunteers will mix and meet with city and county officials who will also be volunteering their time and skills at the morning launch at the mall, and then disperse to about fifteen locations to help where needed.
This is an opportunity to get to know the service agencies in our community.
Many volunteers will feel the joy of service and may desire to return throughout the year to help the agencies they serve on April 28.
The Indian River County Day of Service is open to the public. All volunteers are encouraged to register online at www.IRCDayofService.org.
Corporate and individual sponsors interested in helping to fund this and future events are invited to respond at the same website.
Participating Churches and Civic Organizations:
Bahai Faith of Indian River County
First Presbyterian Church
Our Savior Lutheran Church
St. Helen’s Catholic Church
Temple Beth Shalom
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (coordinating)
Unitarian Universalist
First United Methodist Church
Unity Center of Vero Beach
Boys and Girls Club of Sebastian
City of Vero Beach Employees
Civil Air Patrol
Indian River Estates Employees
Indian River Youth Guidance
United Way of Indian River County
Vero Beach High School Lacrosse teams
General Federation of Women’s Club of Sebastian
Women’s Club of Vero Beach and the Treasure Coast
2012 Sponsors:
PepsiCo – providing bottled water for the 200 volunteers.
Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Co. – providing juice for the 8 a.m. breakfast launch at the Indian River Mall.
EmbroidMe Printing – helping with the cost of our t-shirts.
Mark’s at the Pointe Hair Salon – media coverage.
R.S. Beers Construction – materials and supplies for projects.
Blue Tangerine Solutions – website design.
Indian River County Sheriff’s Dept. – sound system for the 8 a.m. launch event.
General Federation of Women’s Club of Sebastian, Vero Beach, and the Treasure Coast – mulch and food donations.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – charitable food donations.
(See http://www.IRCDayofService.org to register online, or call Rob Volsky at (772) 778-9373 for more information.
Related Sources:
Rob Volsky,
Indian River County
Day of Service Coordinator
The Church of Jesus Christ
Of Latter-day Saints
(772) 778-9373
Hyacinth Brown
Assistant Coordinator
(Sebastian project information)
(772) 589-1696
Sonya Crosby
(Team Captain for The Source: bike collection project)
(772) 321-7678
Michael Kint, CEO United Way of Indian River County
(partnering with Day of Service)
(772) 567-8900
Day of Service: A Regional Event
The Day of Service is also being held in 15 southeastern states on April 28, and 50,000 volunteers are anticipated throughout the region.
The Helping Hands and Linking Arms project is the vision of Elder Walter F. Gonzalez of the Presidency of the Seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He presided over similar projects in Brazil and has experienced the rewards of community service first hand. He now presides in the North America Southeast Area for the Church.
The mission of the Day of Service is to link arms with churches, civic organizations, and government agencies to strengthen local communities with meaningful service projects that will beautify communities, build friendships, help those in need, and bolster the spirits of all.
Service projects spearheaded by local LDS congregations will be conducted over the entire southeastern part of the United States from Louisiana to Georgia and from Kentucky to Florida. In 2010, more than 50,000 volunteers in 14 states participated in 450 service projects.
The Helping Hands and Linking Arms project is an outgrowth of the volunteer work done by the Latter-Day Saints during the hurricanes in the southeast from Katrina to Gustav. From the relief efforts conducted, it became apparent that much more could be done to restore communities and bring relief to suffering families.
It is also well known that the current economic recession has left many families and communities in distress. The service projects are aimed at relieving suffering.
When service is rendered, it is recognized that the person most rewarded is the person providing the service. Thus this Day of Service will bless the lives of those who serve and those who are served.
