On their next furlough day, many state workers won’t just be taking a day off. They’ll be giving a Day of Service.
This is the second state employee Day of Service. The first one on August 6 was a cleanup project in downtown Olympia.
This time, the theme is doing things for kids. Projects are scheduled with four community groups that serve children in our community: Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Family Support Center, Hands On Children’s Museum, and the South Sound Reading Foundation. The projects are spread out through the day, so volunteers can participate in one or more – or even all four!
The schedule is:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters at 9 AM
- Family Support Center at 11 AM
- Hands On Children's Museum at 2 PM
- South Sound Reading Foundation at 4 PM
To sign up for any of these projects, email mpacfd@dshs.wa.gov or call 360-725-1287.
Organizers are also collecting children’s books for donation to the South Sound Reading Foundation.
There is no cost to volunteers. Everyone is welcome: state workers, their families, and anybody else.
These projects have been organized by the Volunteer Center of Lewis, Mason, and Thurston Counties, in coordination with the Medicaid Purchasing Administration, and with support from the Combined Fund Drive and the CFD Thurston County Steering Committee.
The original idea for state employees to volunteer on their furlough days came from Valerie Pollet of the Medicaid Purchasing Administration. She said, “If this is affecting me and my coworkers in the pocketbook, and affecting the clients we serve, I wanted to do something to give back to the community. One thing led to another and this is the result.”
“These state employees are setting a wonderful example for our community, and will be doing important work to help kids,” said Sara Ballard, Executive Director of the Volunteer Center of Lewis, Mason and Thurston Counties.
