Family Service of Roanoke Valley (FSRV) joined over 100 organizations around the world in sponsoring Global Youth Service Day 2010. Celebrating the spirit of community and the value of our youth, FSRV mobilized over 800 young volunteers as they participated in the 22nd Annual Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) last Saturday. In the Roanoke Valley, over twenty service projects took place, led by youth who have been planning this service event throughout the school year. Family Service of Roanoke Valley was selected by Youth Service America as one of the country’s lead agencies to organize Global Youth Service Day 2010. The event offered simultaneous service projects for both youth and families.
The celebration kicked off on Friday with an American Red Cross Blood Drive that was held at Tanglewood Mall. Saturday’s featured service project was a “Laps for Love” walkathon at Hollins Park where hundreds of volunteers participated to support a diverse range of community agencies including Refugee and Immigration Services, SWVA Second Harvest Food Bank, Goodwill Industries and the SPCA.
Other projects fell under the themes of hunger and homelessness, helping the environment, veterans and senior citizens, children’s health and welfare, animal care, education and awareness and restoring our community. These projects included: Serving meals at the Rescue Mission – Assisting with Healthy Kids Day at the Kirk Family YMCA – Working at the SW Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank – Painting at the West End Center on Patterson Avenue – Planning entertainment for the residents of the Veteran’s Hospital – Working in the food pantry at the Presbyterian Community Center – Painting and decorating pillowcases for children at the Ronald McDonald House – Gardening projects at the office of Refugee and Immigration Services – Painting and planting projects at the Mill Mountain Zoo – Assisting participants of the Blue Ridge Marathon – Working with the animals at the SPCA to prepare them for adoption and promoting Project Sticker Shock- a RAYSAC sponsored youth-driven initiative where youth volunteers placed stop sign stickers that display a warning message about the penalties for providing alcohol to anyone under 21 on beer cases and wine coolers. This prevention initiative took place at various Stop-In locations around the Roanoke Valley.
Global Youth Service Day is the largest volunteer initiative in the world. Students from throughout the Roanoke Valley joined millions of youth in the US and in 120 other countries who have planned community service projects and special events.
Jamelia Ford, a student at Patrick Henry High School, shared her experience as a returning volunteer. “Global Youth Service Day is a really fun event that I look forward to all year long. I always meet new people and learn something new. I love that I can choose an issue that I care about and make a difference. This is my third year participating in Global Youth Service Day and now I volunteer all the time. It’s fun to see your community come together and do good things.”
Immediately following the service projects, the volunteers were invited to a celebration held at the Virginia Museum of Transportation where they celebrated the day of service with fellow volunteers, local dignitaries, and WSLS 10’s Dawn Jefferies. The participants enjoyed free food and listened to music from Jammin’ JJS. In addition, each volunteer received a t-shirt, a free week pass to one of several YMCA locations and a free ticket to an upcoming Salem Red Sox game.
The annual event is a partnership with Youth Service America and is made possible through the generosity of sponsorships from WSLS 10, the State Farm Companies Foundation, Member One Federal Credit Union, Jammin’ JJS, Oakey’s Funeral Service and Crematory, the Salem Red Sox, Business Solutions, and the YMCA of Roanoke Valley, who are all working with Family Service of Roanoke Valley and the Virginia Museum of Transportation (in cooperation with dozens of other service sites and youth organizations), so that the children and teenagers of the Roanoke Valley can feel valued by their community and have the chance to make a difference.
By Joanna Coleman [email protected]
