Connecting people with organized and meaningful volunteer opportunities for the purpose of moving our community forward is what United Way Hand On is all about. Whether it’s making a child smile with a newly assembled bike, rolling up your sleeves to shovel mulch at a playground or rolling on a fresh coat of paint to spruce up a school, your time and effort can make a real difference in the lives of others.
While volunteer opportunities are open to individuals and families, United Way Hands On is also fortunate to have dedicated corporate partners who are frequently on the front line of volunteerism. One such company is Drummond Company, Inc. Benga Harrison, Director of United Way Hands On, said, “Volunteering is embedded in Drummond’s culture and that’s one of the companies that we can always depend on to go above and beyond on every project. We are extremely grateful for their partnership, commitment to our community and the goodness of their giving spirit. We could not do our work without companies like Drummond.”
For example, on Saturday, September 17th, employees and family members from Drummond went to work alongside the Hands On staff to revamp the community garden at Henry J. Oliver Elementary School. And they once again proved they were well acquainted with hard work, shovels and wheelbarrows – all for a good cause.
The garden was originally planned and installed by Jones Valley Teaching Farm and is used to benefit the school in a variety of ways. Jones Valley staff uses the space to host a gardening club for students, who learn about all things botanical — from the importance of compost to the parts of a plant. Teachers from the school also use the space as a learning lab for their students throughout the day. Determining the number of desired plants based on number of rows might help a teacher illustrate a math problem. Or monitoring a crop that grows from seeds to fully formed vegetables helps illustrate the life cycle of a plant. This is one of several sites that Jones Valley Teaching Farm has around Birmingham expressly for the purpose of food-based education.
Krystal Drummond, who was volunteering on-site with her team, gave a brief explanation of the company’s involvement in this and other projects and the spirit of volunteerism that is woven into the corporate culture.
“Each year, Drummond Company holds a volunteer day in memory of my late Grandfather and former CEO Garry Neil Drummond. He always believed in helping the community, so we try to keep that spirit alive through this event and others like it. We have been fortunate to partner with United Way Hands On for many of our volunteer projects. Their support and expertise make for a seamless project every time. We are honored and excited to be able to help clean up and beautify the grounds of the Henry J. Oliver Elementary School. Hopefully, our work in the gardens and outdoor classroom will facilitate an enhanced environment and learning experience for the students.”
To learn how you, too, or your company can help bring about meaningful, positive change in our community through organized volunteering, please visit https://unitedwayhandson.org/.