Volunteers eat up Elgin's Day of Caring

When it comes to volunteering, sometimes it helps to get out and get your hands dirty.

For 17 years, the United Way of Elgin has organized the Day of Caring event, which blankets the Elgin area with good deeds and provides local companies and individuals a chance to give more than just their hard-earned money.

Approximately 300 volunteers from companies around the Elgin area on Friday spread out across the city to address community service projects at more than 30 sites, serving as a kickoff for the United Way's annual giving campaign.

Rex Werner, a West Dundee resident and employee at J.P. Morgan Chase in Elgin, has volunteered each of the 15 years he has been with the company, even before moving to the Fox Valley. On Friday he was in a backyard in Elgin cutting tree branches to help beautify the property around the Ecker Center group home on Royal Boulevard.

“Hearing stories of people that benefit from these actions and seeing it on their faces totally makes you want to come out again and again,” Werner said.

At the Association for Individual Development, employees from IHC Construction were creating a true summertime feel around part of the corporate office park on Bowes Road, grilling up hamburgers and hot dogs for employees and clients. Although they admittedly had it easier than volunteers who were out painting and doing landscape work, the sense of pride in giving back was no less important to the guys running the grill.

“This is a good way for all of our employees to get involved and see the needs that are out in the community and get involved and get hands on, and see the positive side of what we can do other than just giving money out of our paycheck,” IHC employee Al Orosz said.

He said the interaction with the AID clients and the excitement he sees in them about the annual event makes it easy to keep signing up each year. “They get so excited you just feel like you're really part of helping out.”

At Camp Big Timber on Elgin's west side, rock music drifted through the camp as more volunteers from Chase were sprucing up the lodge and some bunk houses with a fresh coat of paint. For many of the volunteers it was not only a chance to give something back to the community but to spend some quality time with employees they don't usually see. With full- and half-day volunteer slots open, there were ample opportunities for volunteers to pitch in and help, even if it was just delivering supplies or providing food for the hungry legions.

Sue Niles of Lake in the Hills said she appreciates the opportunity to serve in a town where she used to live, alongside current residents and fellow employees.

“I don't work with any of these guys on a day-to-day basis, but we all get to be together in one place and be Chase in the community,” she said. “I can't tell you how many years (we've been volunteering) it but it's nice to get out and feel like you're doing something for somebody.”