‘Make a Difference Day’ lasts a month this year; four projects on Westside need volunteers

       The United Way's Make a Difference Day had already stretched to two days in recent years. This year, to accommodate volunteer time constraints and fickle weather, it's become a whole month.
       With 2,500 already signed up citywide, 900 volunteers are still being sought for 35 projects to help non-profit or government entities during October, according to Maggie Brubaker, the United Way's coordinator for the project.
       Included are four Westside projects (entity in parentheses):
      
  • Weeding and cleaning up the Mesa Wildlife Area north of Oswego Street Thursday, Oct. 11, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. (Palmer Land Trust).
          
  • Mowing, weeding and general yard work for elderly citizens, Saturday, Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Silver Key Senior Services).
          
  • Weeding, pruning and watering around the Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Road, Saturday, Oct. 13, 20 or 27 from 9 to 11 a.m. (El Paso County Parks).
          
  • Picking up trash and droppings at the El Paso County Dog Park off 21st and Rio Grande streets, Saturday, Oct. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. (El Paso County Parks and Lovers of Off-Leash Parks (LOOP)).
           One other project, just east of I-25, is at the Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation, 2333 Steel Drive, where volunteers are sought to help clean and beautify the interiors of vintage streetcars Saturday, Oct. 13 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation).
           “Make a Difference Month is the largest community service effort in the nation bringing millions of Americans across the country together to improve their communities and help neighbors in need,” a project release states.
           To sign up for a project, call Brubaker at 955-0741 or go to the volunteerpikespeak.org website and click on the Sign Up link for Make a Difference Month.

    Westside Pioneer article