UW'S DAYS OF CARING PUTS FOCUS ON MEMBER AGENCIES

The form of participation changed somewhat in the United Way's Days of Caring this year, but helping member agencies remained the primary focus of the event.

Deena Fischer of the Area Wide United Way said corporate downsizing, financial considerations, and inopportune scheduling might have kept people in the office this year during Days of Caring. However, she said, several businesses scheduled in-house events to help United Way agencies.

Each year employers are asked to encourage employee contributors to volunteer time at United Way agencies during Days of Caring. The time spent volunteering shows the employees why the agency is worthwhile and where their money is going, Fischer said.

For whatever reason, few employers opted to send volunteers out to agencies this year, said Fischer. However, several businesses donated supplies and held special drives to benefit area schools and social agencies.

"The whole idea of Days of Caring is to get employees into the agencies, which I think adds so much to what the United Way does," Fischer said. "But a lot of times it's harder for companies to allow their employees to go and volunteer. That's why we added in the special drives for school supplies and other supplies for our agencies."

Employees from Alliance Blue Cross Blue Shield and St. Francis Medical Center conducted school-supply drives to benefit schools in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City, as well as the Safe House for Women. The employed collected paper, folders, crayons, pens, glue and other supplies to help children who start the school year with few or no supplies.

"Everyone was really eager to help and they were eager to know the school systems had kids who need extra help," said Pat Miller of St. Francis. "We felt this was something that would allow everyone on any shift to participate in Days of Caring."

Kathy McLain of Alliance Blue Cross Blue Shield said this was the first year the company participated. She said she thought employees would donate a box of pencils or pad of paper, but they actually brought bags of supplies. As extra incentive, contributors were allowed to wear jeans to work, she said.

"One of the main concerns we heard was which school would benefit from the drive," said McLain. "We have employees who come from other towns, and I think the fear was that all of the supplies would only go to one school and not as many would benefit."

Representatives from Jackson, Cape Girardeau and Scott City public schools said there were plenty of supplies to go around. There are always children who have no supplies, few supplies or the wrong supplies, they said, and the Days of Caring supply drive would help keep these students from being embarrassed.

"Children, especially those in junior-high and high school, are much more embarrassed and less likely to ask people for help," said Jackson elementary school nurse Pam Harper. "It's important that they get the help because they're usually the ones who need the additional boost."

PARTICIPANTS

-- Alliance Blue Cross Blue Shield: Held a school-supply drive to benefit area schools.

-- Famous Barr: Employees painted the Lutheran Family and Children Services' shutters. (Lowes donated the paint and Sherwin-Williams donated the brushes)

-- Golden Cat: Held a paper drive for the Safe House for Women and a food drive for the Jackson Ministerial Alliance food pantry.

-- Mercantile Bank: Sent people to help with the Cape Senior Center's homebound meal delivery and to the Girl Scout Camp Sacajawea to paint picnic tables.

-- St. Francis Medical Center: Held a school supply drive to benefit area schools.

-- Southeast Missouri State University: Sent 20 new students to the Easter Seals to scrape and repaint the children's playground as part of back-to-school activities.

-- Target: Sent employees to undergo training for Armed Forces Emergency Communication and Introduction to Disaster Services at the American Red Cross.