BYU faculty and staff joined together with other organizations across the county to serve Utah County community during United Way’s annual Day of Caring on Thursday, Sept. 12.
Caroline Glissmeyer, volunteer program coordinator for Day of Caring, said United Way has hosted the annual day of service on every second Thursday of September for the past 31 years. She said what started as a small event with a couple projects and a handful of volunteers has grown to more than 70 service projects and 1,500 volunteers. BYU contributed to 13 of those projects.
“People just want any opportunity they can find to help,” Glissmeyer said.
She said Day of Caring is an exciting time for both the volunteers and the ones being served.
“I’m always inspired by Day of Caring. It’s like Christmas, but better,” Glissmeyer said.
Activities for the annual Day of Caring focused on serving non-profit organizations and schools in Utah County. Projects included reading to elementary school classes, painting playgrounds and pulling weeds at cemeteries.
Stephanie Galt, staff developer for Cherry Creek Elementary, shared her appreciation for the many volunteers who came to serve at the elementary school.
“To see caring adults in the community, and to see men and women who want to give back and are successful, and just be great role models to (the kids) is something that we just can’t thank you enough for because we have children who really need that in their lives,” Galt said. “It’s just a couple hours out of your day, but to them, it’s life changing.”
Spencer Tuft, a software engineer at BYU, found it rewarding to see the children’s big smiles when they saw their newly painted playground.
“They’re so cute and excited. A lot of them are just watching us the whole time we are painting," Tuft said.
BYU faculty and staff, such as Tuft and Glissmeyer, said they found volunteering to be a great way to connect with their fellow coworkers.
“It’s good to just get out of the workplace and see them in another environment and get to know them in a different way," Tuft said.
Similarly, Glissmeyer said "doing good together is the one of the best ways to connect with others."
At United Way, Glissmeyer said they believe service is the cure to loneliness.
“No one was lonely while they were serving and loneliness is an epidemic," she said.
More than 40 organizations across Utah County, including UVU, Costco, Texas Instruments, Duncan Aviation and Intermountain Health joined BYU in the Day of Caring.