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Employees take day off work,
help children
-- DAS Office of Employee Services, September 2007
Seven DAS and OIT employees took the day off work
Sept. 18 to donate their time to the 16th annual United Way Community Care Day program,
which benefits United Way member agencies and local schools.
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| According to the United Way of Central Ohio Web site, the employees were among more than 5,000 volunteers from approximately 120 area companies and state agencies who participated this year. The volunteers assisted with about 200 projects, contributing the equivalent of $600,000 in labor costs to the beneficiaries. |
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| The DAS and OIT volunteers traveled to the Westside Child Care Center on North
Grubb Street, along with volunteers from Highlights for Children magazine and Zaner-Bloser,
a division of Highlights, to assist with various projects. Center Director Julie Benedict
said the volunteers took on an assortment of tasks including cleaning all of the building’s
windows, scrubbing stairwells and walls and sweeping out the floor vents.
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| The volunteers were Charlotte Long and Bill
Hawkins from the Administrative Support Division; Tim Collins from the Equal Opportunity
Division; Elizabeth Lowery, Dan Barr and Jessie Scott from the General Services Division;
and Ed Razler from the OIT Investment and Governance Division. The volunteers were
organized by Hawkins and Scott, co-chairs of the Combined Charitable Campaign (CCC).
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| Hawkins, who has volunteered for the event
about five years, said participating demonstrated the important relationship between
government and public service. “I’m service-oriented being a military retiree and
veteran,” Hawkins said. “[And there’s] the whole thing about state government where
you’re serving the public. It’s just a natural transition and very easy step in serving
the community,” Hawkins said.
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| Scott said she valued her experience as a volunteer. “I loved the event,” Scott said. “I enjoyed interacting with the teachers and the young people. The looks on the children’s faces were priceless, questioning and friendly.”
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Razler said he thinks the children are in good hands
at the child care center. “I also had the opportunity to stand inside the building and
watch them interact on the playground,” Razler said. “[The children] were social.
It was just interesting to watch them. There was truly social development going on there.
It was truly developmental and educational.”
In addition to participating in Community Care Day, one of the volunteers,
who asked to remain anonymous, is in discussion with Benedict about giving the center
stuffed animals which were collected by the volunteer’s church.
Hawkins said helping the community is very important. “Everyone has his or her own charity he or she already gives to,” Hawkins said.
“I think it’s a good idea to step outside of that select group and help someone else.
We were working in an area with small children … you felt like you were making a small
contribution to their welfare.”
Scott said she would like another chance to volunteer at the child care center.
“I am very glad to have this once in a lifetime opportunity to contribute my part to
help make a difference in the children’s lives and well-being,” Scott said. “I am the oldest of 13 children and could appreciate the kindness, learning and the patience of the teachers and staff.
I was impressed with the day care and I hope we are able to do this again.”
Benedict said the volunteers’ work was greatly appreciated. “All of the volunteers
asked well-thought questions about the agency and our program,” Benedict said. “They all seemed to genuinely love children and care about what we do each day.”
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Above—Volunteers from DAS and OIT relaxing in front of the Westside Child Care Center are (front row, from left) Jessie Scott, Charlotte Long, Bill Hawkins, Ed Razler, (back row) Tim Collins, Elizabeth Lowery and Dan Barr.
Below—The volunteers spend time on the playground with the children.
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