HandsOn West Central Ohio...
Volunteers Needed for Make a Difference Day Event 

Roll up your sleeves and join hundreds of local residents in volunteering for Make a Difference Day! 

HandsOn West Central Ohio, including RSVP, is proud to team up once again with community partners to host service projects throughout Darke, Logan, Miami and Shelby Counties on October 21st and 22nd.  This year, all projects held in conjunction with our Make a Difference Day event will focus on helping veterans and military families.  With 2011 marking the 10th anniversary of the tragic 9/11 events, we hope to encourage residents of our region to give back to those who have given us so much. 

Over 250 volunteers are needed to make a difference in communities throughout Darke, Logan, Miami and Shelby Counties on October 21 and 22 in celebration of Make a Difference Day, a national day of volunteering sponsored by USA Weekend. Volunteers are expected to complete nearly 19 community service projects, ranging from helping with a USO party, to helping make handmade cards, and to assist in sponsoring a special day for veterans.  All this is being done with the help of 14 local social service agencies.  Projects are available from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on both October 21 and 22.  Volunteers may sign up individually or in groups for specific projects available throughout Darke, Miami, Logan and Shelby Counties by visiting www.handsonwestcentralohio.org and clicking on “Check out our Make a Difference Day Opportunities Here!” or by calling HandsOn West Central Ohio in Greenville at (937) 548-8002. All ages are welcome! 

Make a Difference Day activities are coordinated regionally through a partnership between six local nonprofit organizations, including: Darke County United Way, Logan County United Way, Piqua Area United Way, Shelby County United Way, Tipp City Area United Way and United Way of Troy. The group hopes to engage hundreds of volunteers from local churches, businesses, schools and more in service projects that help nonprofit organizations better serve area residents in need. 

Make a Difference Day is a national day of volunteering sponsored by USA Weekend.   More than 3,000,000 volunteers nationwide participated in Make a Difference Day 2010, held annually on the fourth Saturday of October since 1992.  Ohio has led the nation in the number of service projects sponsored in conjunction with Make a Difference Day since 2000.  Last year, more than 40,000 volunteers completed over 1,000 community service projects in Ohio for this national day of helping others.