58366403
At a time when millions of unemployed and underemployed Americans are rightfully pining for opportunities to enhance their financial standing, selling the rewards of volunteering can prove tough.
Through Saturday’s 18th annual Philly Cares Day, though, more than 3,000 volunteers reiterated that unpaid efforts do for the soul what dollars do for one’s bank account. The helpers, representing churches, community groups, corporations, schools and universities, spent four hours beautifying 91 sites throughout the region, with four local schools receiving improvements.
The Center City-based Greater Philadelphia Cares, also responsible for LOVE Your Park Day, a winter coat drive and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service events, designed Philly Cares Day to tidy community spaces, recreation centers, and schools. It offers more than 100 monthly chances to address pressing areas such as education, environment, and hunger relief. Saturday’s celebration furthered its community development and revitalization theme, as general maintenance, landscaping and painting meant 65 schools earned an autumn makeover.
Lower Moyamensing’s South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St., hosted a kick-off rally at 8:30 a.m. The institution is continuing its revitalization under second-year principal Otis D. Hackney III following December 2009 attacks on Asian-American students and enjoyed its second straight Saturday in the limelight after Oct. 15’s UnLitter Us campaign launch began on its grounds.
Nearly two dozen members of its Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps appeared, with three uniformed participants presenting the colors. Comprising more than one-third of the site’s enlistees, the students received a morale boost from Hackney, whom the 17th annual Barrymore Awards honored by giving the Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Award Oct. 3 at Center City’s Walnut Street Theatre. The leader welcomed other powerful personalities, as Mayor Michael Nutter and Martin Molloy, Greater Philadelphia Cares’ CEO, offered encouragement, too.
“I am proud to be a part of this effort,” Nutter said in a statement. “It is especially important to engage volunteers at a time when the School District and community-based organizations face tough budget challenges. The efforts of these volunteers will not only help with projects today, but many will stay engaged and continue to contribute to our communities.”
Molloy will eagerly accumulate people to honor Nutter’s last point. His organization covers five Pennsylvania counties, four in New Jersey, as well as New Castle, Del., calling upon more than 15,000 volunteers to strengthen neighborhoods.
“Philly Cares Day has become a catalyst for long-term change,” Molloy said in a statement. “We are seeing our volunteers stay involved in their communities beyond this day, making a real commitment to take ownership for positive social change.”
The local learners buddied with four volunteer teams, including La Salle University’s African American Student League and Temple University’s Asian Students Association. They painted classrooms, hallways and the ROTC space and created message boards for their contemporaries.
Southern’s Lower Moyamensing neighbor, Abraham S. Jenks Academic Plus School, 2501 S. 13th St., welcomed more than 50 volunteers, including parents and staff, to clean bathrooms and classrooms and to paint the cafeteria and the schoolyard’s hopscotch and running track areas.
“The lunchroom was dreary prior to the improvements,” Donna Ragusa of 17th and Johnston streets said.
Enjoying her sixth Philly Cares Day, the school aide cherished her site’s new allure.
“Everything is much brighter,” she said. “The volunteers’ commitment was overwhelming.”
Greater Philadelphia Cares’ mission includes five core values, each addressing community enhancement. Universal Vare Charter School, 2100 S. 24th St., happily seconded those ideals with 50 volunteers, including administrative assistance Jacqueline Saaba of 12th and Ellsworth streets.
“We painted the corridors, cafeteria and the exterior doors,” she said of the West Passyunk site’s trio of changes.
Universal Companies, 800 S. 15th St., the school’s overseer, brought staff members to assist parents, students and teachers with the betterment endeavor.
“It was a total success in my book,” Vice Principal of Operations Lawrence Threadgill said of the day. “We had great attention go toward making our school a beacon.”
First-year principal Stacey Burnley greeted 40 volunteers at Edwin M. Stanton School, 1700 Christian St. A former assistant principal at Pennsport’s Horace Furness High School, 1900 S. Third St., she regularly injects her communal advocacy into Philly Cares Day and made her initial appearance at her South of South institution another example of her enthusiasm.
“I enjoy participating in the communities I am in,” she said of showing yet another area her dedicated nature.
A successful 2009 tree management project marked Stanton’s prior involvement, and Saturday’s tasks likewise treated green issues, albeit with a twist. Juniors and seniors from Erdenheim’s Philadelphia-Montgomery Christian Academy accented a green fence by giving the exterior doors and stairwell railings a similar sheen.
“I love my role as a principal, but I also enjoy showing my concern with a different flair,” Burnley said of volunteering.
She also revels in rewarding hard work and kept word of the projects from parents, students and teachers. Stanton pupils’ scores on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment surpass the School District’s overall averages, so Burnley designed the alterations as tributes to her charges’ hard work.
“It was only right to acknowledge their perseverance,” she said.
Monday’s revealing to the entire Stanton community, which is trying to save the building from possible closure as early as the next school year, drew great reactions from the children and parental praise.
“I heard parents saying a fresh coat of paint can make a world of difference,” Burnley said. “Their thinking encourages me to continue to strive to better Stanton.” SPR
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
58366398
58366413
58366408
