One person can change a life. Live United: Be the One.

 

That’s the message from the Barry County United Way for the 2018 campaign kick-off and Day of Caring Thursday, Sept. 13.

 

The event begins at 8 a.m. at the Barry County Expo Center, 1350 North M-37 Highway, Hastings.

You can expect a rousing send off for the Day of Caring, when teams of volunteers head out to community improvement projects all over the county.

 

Volunteer Center Director Morgan Johnson said the BCUW faces hard issues, tackling objectives, joining forces and knocking down barriers. At last year’s kickoff, she said: “The Day of Caring with 50 projects throughout the county, the support of 16 local non-profits and the value of the volunteer’s time are examples of great things that happen when people work together. Volunteers can see the impact they make.”

 

"What’s given to the United Way are really not donations, but investments in something more valuable than gold, the children and families in Barry County," said last year’s co-chair Gary Buckland. “Nothing is more important. The value of volunteers can be measured in dollars and cents, but, the return on that investment cannot be measured. There is no way of measuring the benefits. They are not donations, but investments to measure with the success of families and young people,” he said.

 

Guest Speaker Gary Kimble gave four reasons to volunteer:

One: Someone has to step up, why not you?

Two: The feeling helping people gives you.

Three: The personal pay-back to society. It’s your turn to give back.

Four: It builds community pride and strength. All volunteers build a community.