“A Story from the Dayton Daily News” Posted: 12:05 a.m. Saturday, June 8, 2013
BY KEVIN O’DONNELL – STAFF WRITER
Nearly 500 volunteers came together Friday to fill the daily needs of non-profits in the area during the United Way’s annual Day of Action.
At United Rehabilitation Services on Old Troy Pike, Thomas Maultsby, CEO of United Way of the Greater Dayton Area, joined volunteers from Cargill’s Dayton facility to play games, do puzzles and landscaping and help clients read.
“We love to have our neighbors come in because there are so many people in this community who want an opportunity to give back and get involved. The Day of Action creates a venue to do that,” said Executive Director Dennis Grant.
The center provides services to over 400 children and adults with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Autism, Alzheimer’s and other disabilities.
Over a game of bingo, Shamarri Rutledge, a client at the rehabilitation center, turned to volunteer Lisa Miller of Cargill and said, “I’m honored to have you here as special help today.”
Gary Rose sipped coffee and helped the clients at the center with their bingo cards, but he said he would have liked to see three times as many volunteers. Rose, whose granddaughter has Dandy-Walker syndrome, said the day was especially close to his heart.
He said he hopes people will also support human services in the upcoming levy. “I think you’d be surprised at the amount of people who don’t know where there money is going and who they’re helping,” he said.
Dottie Bely, co-founder of Compassion First, appreciated what volunteers from Fifth Third Bank, Miami Valley Hospital and MCM Electronics accomplished. By the end of the day, the boxes of clothes, toys and furniture that covered their warehouse floor were sorted and ready to deliver to those in need.
Nearly 30 corporations, as well as Eaton and Xenia high schools and the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, send volunteers to the Day of Action every year. Deloitte’s Impact Day with the United Way on the same day sent about 90 employees to donate blood and provide other volunteer services.
