Members of Broward College’s softball team take a moment to relax from their painting duties at the
United Way of Broward County’s Day of Caring in Deerfield Beach.
Members of Broward College’s softball team were among the participants in the 18th annual Day of Caring, coordinated by the United Way of Broward County, on October 9.
Each year, the United Way of Broward County selects one nonprofit organization to benefit from the day’s efforts. The 2009 beneficiary organization was Women in Distress, who used the efforts of the volunteers to refurbish a former assisted-living facility in Deerfield Beach, which is being transformed into client housing at the Jim & Jan Moran Family Center Campus.
The Broward College softball team members were among the first volunteers to arrive at the pickup point at the North Broward Medical Center, where they boarded a shuttle bus to take them to the facility’s campus. There, they donned T-shirts, received paint brushes, rollers and buckets of pale tan latex paint. They spent their day painting apartment interiors. Other volunteers did exterior and trim painting, and others did landscaping and grounds maintenance.
In keeping with the event’s slogan of “get your paint on,” Amber Mitcham, a freshman outfielder and graduate of Coral Springs Charter School, got into the spirit by painting a strip of light tan paint under each eye, a twist on the eye-glare black football players often use.
In addition to the Broward ballplayers, other volunteers came from corporations such as Publix, FPL and UPS. Other volunteer groups included colleges, fraternities and sororities, sports teams, service organizations and individuals.
Women in Distress officials said approximately 1,000 volunteers showed up despite unseasonably warm weather.
Freshman outfielder Amber Mitcham
stretches to reach high spots with her roller.
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The Broward players were among the
first volunteer groups to show up early
on Oct. 9 to help, and attacked their
assignment with gusto. |
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