Make a Difference Day
Make a Difference Day is the largest community service effort in the nation, rallying corporations, government leaders, charitable organizations and everyday Americans into action on one day. Ottawa once again took advantage of students being out of school and hosted Make a Difference Day on Friday, October 22, 2010. Make a Difference Day 2010 activities took place between 9am and 4pm and were coordinated by the Ottawa Volunteer Center and the Ottawa High School (OHS) Student Council. In total, 174 volunteers came out and donated their most valuable resource – time. Of the total, 126 volunteers were OHS students, which surpassed the goal of increasing the number of high school students involved by 25 over the 100 who participated in 2009. In addition, 34 Ottawa Middle School (OMS) students volunteered this year and 14 adult community members got involved as well.
Nine members of the local Rotary Club and Ottawa Optimists completed a large painting project for the Ottawa Community Arts Council Preschool located in the historic Carnegie Cultural Center basement. OMS Kay Club collected an entire SUV full of food for our local food pantries. OMS Builders Club spent the morning bringing cheer to the residents of Ottawa Retirement Village and Vintage Park with games and activities for young and old. Teen Court of the 4th Judicial District volunteers cleaned and organized the Career and Technical Education Cooperative Preschool Playground at OHS before playing games at Vintage Park with senior residents.
OHS students were particularly busy this year with the following activities:
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Games and activities with 28 COF consumers at OHS |
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Baked hundreds of cookies for Meals on Wheels recipients |
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Collected 15 bags of toiletries for domestic violence victims |
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Cleaned & played with animals at Prairie Paws Animal Shelter |
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Added 3 Cyclone Murals to the south OHS campus |
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Painted 24 historic street markers throughout Ottawa |
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Created 34 ceramic bowls for Empty Bowls event in February |
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Painted bookshelves and interacted with children at Franklin County Daycare |
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Seeded lawn with Habitat for Humanity |
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Prepped walls for painting at Carnegie Cultural Center |
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Moved props and costumes with ACT Ottawa |
To find out more about this exciting endeavor to engage students and youth supporters in service, call the Ottawa Volunteer Center at 785-242-7450 ext. 205 or email lrivers@eckan.org. |
