Days of Caring Underway This Week in Central Minnesota

(KNSI) – The United Way of Central Minnesota Days of Caring is underway.

The week of projects is the largest volunteer event for the United Way, with more than 500 people helping at 65 activities across the area. It’s the biggest showing in five years. KNSI News visited Quiet Oaks Hospice, where workers were cleaning up about a dozen brush piles left behind after the facility had a significant amount of dead and diseased trees removed.

Jake Judd/KNSI News

Alison McReynolds was soaking up time in the mid-morning sun while hauling away branches. “I love it. I like starting my day outside, especially today. It’s beautiful weather. Temps couldn’t be better. It’s a great time for me to just get a mental break from the office. It’s all those things for me.”

Alongside her was Suzy Molitor, who described the feeling she gets from giving a helping hand. “You feel more accomplished at the end of the day knowing that you helped someone.”

Both volunteers work with Schlenner Wenner & Company. Others on site were from Stearns Bank. They were among eight helping Monday, with another ten expected back Wednesday.

Quiet Oaks Communications Manager Lisa Schulte says having the United Way volunteers out is a big help and something they look forward to every year. “We save up our bigger projects that need more manpower, maybe some younger people that can help do the heavier lifting for us. So, we do plan on having this great community support and resource every year. It makes a big impact in Quiet Oaks and what we can do for the community and the families that come here.”

She says many of their volunteers had family members who received end-of-life care at Quiet Oaks. Along with the dozens of volunteers during the Days of Caring, more than 200 people give their time every day to families at Quiet Oaks.

For more about this year’s Days of Caring, click here.

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