Hundreds of volunteers came together Friday to participate in the 2nd Annual Clark County Service Day.
The day helped nearly 20 nonprofits in the area with cleaning, landscaping, organizing and painting projects.
A year ago, the county held its first service day. It was organized by the United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties.
More than 500 people performed community service projects on various sites throughout Clark County in one day then. More than 3,000 service hours were recorded in 2016.
The day this year was once again sponsored by Clark State Community College, Community Mercy Health Partners, Community Health Foundation, Leadership Clark County and Catholic Central.
This year, volunteers helped with cleaning and painting projects, Kerry Pedraza, the executive director of the United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties, said.
“This community service day has over 240 community members plus around 200 students from Catholic Central High School who are involved in this day,” Pedraza said.
Those high school students have performed service work for the community for the past 17 years. Taking part of this day was a no-brainer for them, Pedraza said.
They all take a class for community service, and that is where Hannah Taylor learned about the Children’s Rescue Center.
She picked the location because of the services the nonprofit offered to the community. The center provides after-school programs for children in the area.
“We are here today to help get the gym floor prepared for cleaning,” Hannah Taylor, a sophomore at Catholic Central High School, said.
The floor will soon be refurbished.
Taylor and other students peeled off the floor tape that has been down for the past 10 years.
That saved the Children’s Rescue Center money.
“Had we not had their help, I’m sure this would have added probably another $1,000 to the job,” said Susie Rastatter, co-president of Children’s Rescue Center.
The work had to be done now, she said, so the floor would be ready for the re-finisher.
Taylor said this day is needed for the city.
“I think it’s important because it helps get the message out. Service is important, community is important.”