Community Connections

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Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community. From program volunteers to events, fund raisers, gardening, maintenance, and office assistance...the opportunities are endless. Here's what's been going on lately:

"Grow Up Great" Comes to Coleman Kids

The PNC University team (the bank's employee training department) gave their time and energy to Coleman kids during their volunteer time at th J.R. Coleman Child Care & Learning Center. On August 31st, six PNC employees spent a morning with babies, toddlers and pre-school children, each deployed in six different classrooms bringing a fresh face and individual attention to children during their morning time activities. Coleman teachers expressed how great the morning flowed with helping hands to assist and the kind interactions given to their children. Both children and teachers were all smiles. Thank you to the PNC University team for choosing our Center!

This volunteer activity is one element of the PNC Grow Up Great Initiative, a PNC Bank program that invests in preparing young children, from birth to age five, for school and life - so that an entire generation won't just grow up...but grow up great. There are 4 major components to the Grow Up Great Initiative: Philanthropy, Advocacy, Public Awareness and Volunteerism. One part of the initiative is partnering with a high quality Center as a Grow Up Great site. Our Center is on of those sites working with PNC to offer volunteer opportunities plus we are the recipient of PNC Foundation grant taht supports our Parents as Partners Program.

United Way Day of Caring - September 1, 2011

1 Day times 32 energized volunteers times 3 projects = AWESOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS!

On September 1st, a team of 20 Aultman employees arrived at our Child Care & Learning Center ready and eager to dive in and complete a variety of projects. Aultman is one of the many local companies that promote and support the United Way of Greater Stark County by allowing their employees to give a day of volunteer time to complete service projects in our community. The Aultman team consists of persons from the Aultman College of Nursing, Aultcare and the Hospital. The team was virtually deployed over our entire Center, inside and out. Our 3 school age classrooms sparkled after walls and woodwork were washed and cleaning along with tables, chairs, bookcases, and kids’ lockers. The Center’s large, inside playground received a good washing down of walls plus the cleaning and sanitizing of the large climber, many tricycles, toys and cubbies. Several team members worked the day through with one of our Center’s Department Administrator to reorganize an underutilized room into a functional, well-equipment arts and craft center. Meanwhile a number of outside projects received much needed attention. The entire landscape surrounding the Center was worked on including trimming over 30 bramble bushes, clearing and weeding flowerbeds while another group washed the exterior windows & doors around the entire building and washed the outside large climbers and storage sheds on our playgrounds. Our Center’s mini bus was also washed and detailed inside and out.

Just a few miles from the Child Care Center, a second Day of Caring team made up of Nationwide employees created a wonderful party day for the thirty-one senior citizens who attend the J.R. Coleman Adult Day Care Program. They hosted a “Carnival Day” filled with activities, games, dancing, music, Carnival food treats and topped off with a Nationwide clown bringing laughter and fun to all.

Our thanks to United Way of Greater Stark County and all the excellent volunteers who extended compassion and companionship to the folks we serve at Adult Day Care and for providing an invaluable day of work that helps keep our Child Car and Learning looking it best.

Program Volunteers

Your life experiences and expertise can provide the "people power" we need to enhance a lesson for preschoolers or elementary school students. Your hobby or talent can be shared to brighten the day of a senior citizen at our adult day program. Playing piano one hour a week for a sing-along with our seniors can make someone's day. Playing cards, games, and demonstrating a skill are powerful tools you can share.

Our Adult Day Program needs volunteers between 12:00 to 1:00 P.M. any weekday to have lunch with our seniors so our staff can take a lunch break. If you can commit to one or more days each week, it will be most appreciated and helpful. To volunteer, call Melanie at 330-454-3471 or CONTACT US!