Volunteers to Help Spruce Up Schools

An estimated 400 to 700 volunteers will concentrate on cleaning up schools across Ventura County for the United Way Day of Caring 1997 on Saturday.

The school upkeep project marks a new turn for the annual volunteer event.

Started in 1989, the United Way Day of Caring has traditionally focused on helping member agencies.

But this year, 10 of the 15 volunteer projects planned across the county will focus on sprucing up county schools.

“There’s a lot of concern about education now and the condition of the schools, because they have taken cuts like everybody else,” said George Phillips, marketing and communications director for Ventura County United Way. “We wanted to broaden what we do.”

Among those joining the volunteers will be Supervisor Kathy Long, who will paint classroom doors at Sespe Elementary School in Fillmore.

“I wanted to do something to help out, and painting is definitely something I can do,” Long said. “I know that throughout Ventura County there are people who care deeply about their communities. The United Way Day of Caring is one way for people to become involved and help out. I hope we have more volunteers than we have paintbrushes to hand them.”

Other projects planned this year range from trash cleanups on bike trails and soccer fields to sorting beans and rice and washing delivery trucks at Food Share of Ventura County.

For information, call Lynette Raya at the United Way at 485-6288, Ext. 238.