Community Day Project Awards 2012

Technology Access Center

HCA volunteers spent their day completing a very unique project for the Technology Access Center. The project involved adapting battery operated toys by re-wiring them to allow children with disabilities to operate the toys through an external switch. One volunteer had this to say about the project “Until I volunteered with the Technology Access Center, I had honestly never thought about a disabled child not being able to squeeze a toy or clap his/her hands to make a toy respond.  It's those little things that we all take for granted.” 

Cumberland Crisis Pregnancy Support Center

HCA volunteers held a day-long shower for a group of clients at the center. The day included decorations made of baby supplies that were created by volunteers. The expecting moms and the volunteers sat together to craft blankets for the babies. As the knots were carefully tied around the edges of the fleece, bonds were made around the tables between all of the women present. One young woman said she would treasure her blanket as a memento of this special day.

Holly Street Day Care

HCA volunteers spent the day side by side with the children at Holly Street Day care making a musical garden. The children and our volunteers had a great time creating items such as recycled can wind chimes, recycled CD sun catchers, and a standing xylophone made of PVC pipes.

Magdalene

Volunteers worked side by side with Magdalene residents and graduates, who are employees of Thistle Farms, building new molds and deckles for Magdalene’s paper making department, preparing cotton material to be used in the rag paper recipe, and cardboard boxes and paper grocery sacks to be used in the Magdalene’s recycled thistle paper recipe. HCA volunteers also worked on production of paper products such as bird house ornaments, cards, journals, depending upon what is needed most at that time.

Progress, Inc.

HCA volunteers were able to work with Progress Inc. on a “rain project” due to the weather not cooperating with the planned landscaping and painting for the day. The clients enjoyed taking a break from their typical day to decorate 45 pumpkins with our volunteers. Each client was able to decorate a pumpkin to take home and one for someone else. The volunteers told us they could tell the clients enjoyed being able to make a pumpkin to give to someone else even more than making one for themselves. The HCA coordinator for this project said the volunteer team was impacted by the interaction they were able to have with the clients. Once the weather cleared, they were also able to complete some of the planned landscaping.