Volunteers brave rain-Spirits not dampened on 14th annual Day of Caring

By Sherree Grebenstein/Journal Staff Writer

Jenifer Peterson, of Wachovia Security, paints the picnic tables at Morgan’s Grove Park in Shepherdstown. (Journal photo by Martin B. Cherry)

MARTINSBURG - For one daughter, volunteering in Tuesday's Day of Caring was about giving back to a place her beloved late mother often frequented.

"My mom used to come here three days a week," Brenda Simmons, of Hedgesville, recalled as she took a break from cleaning Tuesday at Berkeley Senior Services.

Simmons was among more than 1,000 volunteers who took part in the 14th annual United Way of the Eastern Panhandle Day of Caring. While Tuesday's showers may have delayed some projects, many others went off as scheduled at various locations in Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties.

Simmons' mother, Betty Derrow, passed away in February 2007, and Simmons said she was proud to be able to give something back to the community in her mother's memory as part of the special day.

"We've been scrubbing walls and cleaning windows," said Simmons, who volunteered as part of a group from United Bank in Martinsburg.

"Can't you smell the clean?" piped up Kimberly Lanager. "We have been cleaning for hours."

A member of the Martinsburg Noon Rotary, Lanager explained that the rain didn't keep volunteers from giving the senior center a good housekeeping.

Peter Dufourny, facilities manager for Berkeley Senior Services, appreciated all of the hard work from the volunteers who donated their time.

"It's things that you find hard to do with the basic staff," he said.

Trina Bartlett, director of community impact for the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle, said that groups, businesses, organizations and individuals volunteered at about 60 sites in the tri-county area on a wide range of projects.

"It's a great example of how the Eastern Panhandle community can come together to accomplish a lot and to show we care and make a difference," Bartlett said.

Over at War Memorial Park Preschool, volunteers from the south Martinsburg branch of Citizens National Bank as well as ITW Sexton, a metal manufacturing company in Martinsburg, teamed together to scrub toys and even try to put some together.

CNB employee Gail Moxley, a grandmother of three - ages 18 months old to 8 years old - is no novice at putting together children's toys. So when presented with the task of assembling the tiny play things, she jumped right in. The preschool, which opens next Monday, caters to kids ages 3 to 5.

Moxley said helping to spruce up the preschool "is hard work, but it's a fun job."

For the past five years, Moxley and CNB employees Melba Thorne, Brandy Reed and Amy Bender have volunteered at the preschool as part of their charitable works for the local Day of Caring.  Unfortunately Bender had to pass this year because she had a sick child at home.

Meanwhile, volunteer Jane Munson said she thought Tuesday felt like Christmas as she helped assemble some of the toys bound for the classrooms.

Munson, who works for ITW Sexton and participated in her second Day of Caring this year, admitted she hadn't assembled toys in a while. After all, her daughter is 20.

But she said she enjoys volunteering.

"I wanted to help out and give back to the community," she said.

The staff at the preschool agreed that the volunteers helped make a big difference.

"We couldn't make it without them," said Sandy Lesh, director of the preschool. "They are called angels."

Over at the Berkeley County Humane Society, volunteers from Steptoe & Johnson PLLC in Martinsburg helped spruce up the animal shelter, walked and played with the dogs and helped with administrative tasks.

Joanne Gagnon, a paralegal with the law firm, headed up the five volunteers.

"We put her in charge and told her what we wanted to get done, and she got it done. She came through the rain," said Shari Persad, president of the board of directors for the Berkeley County Humane Society. "This was a very productive day."

Even with the damp weather, volunteers painted the outside of the shelter as well as a nearby storage shed. Trees were cut down, too. And as she cleaned the shelter, Gagnon couldn't help thinking about all of the homeless animals.

I wish more people had pet education," she said. "Dogs are not disposable."

Volunteer Sarah Baker enjoyed walking the dogs and wanted to bring them all home with her, but in the end she opted to adopt a ferret.

"I knew that I was coming home with something," the Williamsport, Md., woman said.

In Morgan County, several projects were planned as a part of the Day of Caring, from a dry wall project at the senior center to trimming trails at Eidolon Nature Preserve. And Audrey Morris, director of the Morgan County Starting Points, said the organization undertook home repair projects.

Nancy White, chairperson for the Morgan County Day of Caring, said the turnout was wonderful.

"It was amazing, the level of commitment from so many people that came out," White said.

Even with rain and lightning, White said people still volunteered their time for indoor projects when they had been assigned outdoor ones. She noted that they were also committed to seeing the outdoor ones completed as well.

In downtown Martinsburg, volunteers Ross Curtis and Bill Zinner worked on finishing a temporary handicapped access ramp to The Arts Centre. Both men, on the board of directors for The Arts Centre, worked under a tarp that shielded them from the rain.

"It brings the building into compliance with code," said Zinner, who is a retired architect. Eventually, a permanent ramp and new stairway will be constructed onto the front side of the center off King Street.

Over at the Bethany House, a homeless shelter for women and their children, the smell of fresh paint permeated the air. Six volunteers from The Journal painted a large portion of the interior of the shelter.

"I'm so impressed by the sense of community, not just on the Day of Caring, but throughout the year," said Glenda Helman, executive director of Community Networks, which oversees Bethany House. "It's the caring of our neighbors that let's us offer the many services we have for people."

- Staff writer Sherree Grebenstein can be reached at (304) 263-3381, ext. 182 or sgrebenstein@journal-news.net