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Thousands Participate In United Way Day of Caring

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jeff Kelly
  • 315 Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHARLESTON AFB, S.C. --  More than 2200 volunteers from Team Charleston and the Naval Nuclear Power School located here in Charleston, S.C., joined forces to make the 17th annual Day of Caring a resounding success.

The Day of Caring was designed to match teams of volunteers with large scale service projects most local care agencies could never undertake on their own. The Trident Area United Way coordinates the philanthropic activity, and keeps a list of projects that need to be tackled on their website.

Team Charleston provided all of the transportation for the thousands of volunteers, with the 437th Airlift Wing supplying all of the busses that were needed and the 81st Aerial Port Squadron providing the bus drivers for the day.

"The Air Force Base and Naval School are parts of the larger community, said Chaplain, Captain James Danford, of the 315th Airlift Wing. "Every year at this time we have the opportunity to give back to a community that supports us year round."

The volunteers gave back to the community by performing a general "clean-up" of the Charleston Farms and Rosemount neighborhoods. Volunteers picked up trash, mowed lawns and even painted a few houses in the area.

"Being military members, we are not rich, but we aren't too bad off either, said Chaplain Danford. "The Day of Caring program gives folks in the military a chance to help those less fortunate than us. The real hope and goal of the program is that people who get involved in projects go back to the areas where they helped and ask what else they can provide, or they can go straight to the United Way and ask what else they can do as well." 

This was precisely the case with Captain Chett Collier, one of the 315th AW volunteers.

"This is my second year helping with the Day of Caring and I wonder who gets more out of it, me or the people I help," said Capt. Collier. "I worked with the Trident United Way's Day of Caring last year and I couldn't wait to help again this year. Now I'm looking forward to next year."

The volunteers were treated to a meal at the end of the day, and that meal and a "thank you" from the people who were helped was all the volunteers needed as payment for a hard day's work. 

"Volunteering like this is addictive. Once you get out and do it, you'll want to do it again," said Capt. Collier. "It's a great feeling to be able to help an elderly person who can't do certain things for themselves. It's been a great experience working with the Trident United Way. I have a lot to be grateful for in my life so it's nice to be able to lend a hand to someone who needs it."