Children served by the Kindering Center in Bellevue have newly
restored bookshelves and ladders, and handmade bibs and therapy
beanbags, thanks to a team of volunteers.
Bank workers, techies and other business employees traded
computers and cell phones for paintbrushes and sewing needles
yesterday as part of the United Way of King County 12th annual Day
of Caring.
More than 7,000 employees representing about 300 companies spent
yesterday volunteering at community sites across King County to kick
off the organization's 2003-2004 fund-raising campaign.
Employees from Washington Mutual, Microsoft and Paccar spent the
day at the Kindering Center working on various projects.
The Kindering Center offers therapy and support to infants and
children with developmental disabilities, said Ian Rooney, Kindering
board president.
Inside the center, 15 Washington Mutual employees worked on
sewing machines or at tables with needle and thread to create bibs,
beanbags and special pedals used during children's therapy sessions.
"This is really nice, because we're all computer people," said
Marcia Long, Washington Mutual volunteer coordinator.
Outside on the lawn, Sarah Kerrigan, a financial analyst at
Microsoft, brushed red paint onto a bookshelf while two other
volunteers worked restoring a ladder that turns into a seesaw when
flipped over.
"I think it's wonderful our employer gives us the opportunity to
give back to the community," she said. "If you're given the
opportunity, why not do it?"
Other projects included a team of Microsoft workers training
Kindering employees on computers while others cleaned and restored
overused toys.
Elsewhere across the county, Bank of America and Puget Sound
Energy employees read aloud to children, promoting literacy. Other
Microsoft workers prepared meals for the homeless in Seattle.
Day of Caring is the largest single-day volunteer mobilization
effort in Washington, said Adam Bashaw, spokesman for United Way of
King County.
Maria Gonzalez: 206-464-2449 or
mgonzalez@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company
