DuPage marks Sept. 11 with volunteerism

Hundreds of volunteers will give back to the DuPage County community today to mark the anniversary of a day when so many lives were taken from the American community.

"There definitely is power in getting out in the community and giving back what you can on this day," said Kathy Blair, executive director of Giving DuPage.

Volunteers went to several organizations Friday and will visit more today as part of the eighth annual DuPage Remembers and Gives Days of Volunteerism. The event began in 2002 as a solemn day of remembrance and volunteer work to honor the victims of Sept. 11, 2001.

"It's nice to get out when the weather is nice," said Taylor Hassan, an associate with PricewaterhouseCoopers advisory group in Chicago who volunteered Friday at Almost Home Kids, a Naperville nonprofit that assists children with serious medical challenges. "It's not only nice to go help and do something good for others, but it's also bringing our group closer together."

The volunteer hours help organizations like Almost Home Kids complete maintenance without cutting into funds budgeted for services, said Tiffany Crowe, external affairs coordinator for Almost Home Kids.

"If we were to hire people to do everything that our volunteers do in terms of consulting for social networking, painting, working on the grounds and just helping with that kind of maintenance and cleaning, it would significantly draw from our programs and operating budget and that is just not something that is acceptable for us to do," Crowe said.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Naperville's 6th Ward have given time during the DuPage Remembers and Gives Days of Volunteerism since 2002.

"The sentiment is as a representative of the church, we want to foster a spirit of service and friendship with the community," said James Hammer, a church member who organized a group of volunteers to clear trash from paths at Herrick Lake in Wheaton today. "It's trying to overcome hatred and replace it with feelings of friendship."

Blair said 500 people volunteered in 2002. The event grew to 2,203 volunteers in 2007, but since then, numbers declined slightly, she said.

"I'm not so worried about the decrease in numbers on this day of service because I have seen more ongoing support in the community," Blair said. "A lot of these groups who began doing single days of service are now doing ongoing volunteerism."

DuPage County Remembers And GivesThese businesses, churches and other groups volunteered their time during the eighth annual DuPage County Remembers and Gives Days of Volunteerism.Oxford Bank: Helped with cemetery cleanup for Lombard Historical SocietyNaperville Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors: Conducted blood drive for LifeSource blood drive at Cowart Chiropractic, NapervilleDuPage County Area Project: "Change 4 Choices"Naperville Area Networking Group: DuPage PADS Run/WalkSt. John Lutheran Church Youth Group, Downers Grove: Helped Sharing Connections Furniture Bank, Downers Grove with recycling eventFirst United Methodist Church, Downers Grove: Assisted Downers Grove Park District with cleanup at McCollum ParkWood Dale Elementary District 7: Hosted car wash and food drive to benefit Wood Dale Food Pantry and Community Assistance CouncilCity of Wood Dale: "Behind-the-scenes" cleanup at DuPage Children's MuseumChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Naperville 6th ward: "Behind-the-scenes" cleanup at DuPage Children's Museum; helped at Red Oak Nature Center for Fox Valley Park District; and participated at Helping Hands at Herrick Lake in Wheaton.Theosophical Society, Wheaton: Hosted TheosoFest