Life

Students leaf positive impact

NUMS participates in Day of Caring

NEW ULM – Leaves from yards and gutters were bagged around New Ulm for Day of Caring Friday morning.

The annual event is organized by United Way, a nonprofit organization that looks at the individual needs of its community and develops programs that align with those needs.

Director of United Way of the Brown County Area Tamara Faith said that Day of Caring tends to be a consistent program for most communities.

"It really works to support people of all ages and demographics," Faith said. "Day of Caring is one way to give back to that senior population that needs support and wants to live in their home for as long as they can."

Other Brown County United Way programs include the Backpack Project providing backpacks and school supplies to students, Imagination Library mailing free books monthly and Project Lunchbox providing meals for weekends.

Day of Caring is working on projects both Friday and Saturday, allowing schedule flexibility for volunteers and those receiving assistance.

Furth said this year 80 volunteers will be working on 35 projects in New Ulm and Sleepy Eye.

Of these volunteers, many were students from the New Ulm Middle School.

Student Council Advisor and seventh grade Science Teacher Alexa Bauer brought a group of fifth graders to help around the community. The middle school has been active in Day of Caring.

Many of the students in attendance are part of student council.

"Student council is one of those opportunities that takes some of the leaders in our school and allows them to participate in the community," Bauer said.

As a student council, members also decorate coffee sleeves at Lola's to send positive messages to the community and help organize school events.

Fifth grader Kailyn Gomez, who is not a student council member, was glad to be a part of Day of Caring.

As was fifth grader Siddhardh Jalnapurkar.

"I'm going to rake leaves and clean up houses so that we can help people," Jalnapurkar said.

On the other side of town, a group of sixth graders were helping rake John Vanderwerl's yard.

"You don't know how much that means to me," Vanderwerl said. "They've been here about three of four years in a row."

Chelsea Buchholz, School Councilor at the Middle School, said that Day of Caring aligned with monthly themes at the middle school.

"We emphasize caring and sharing with others, this meets our monthly themes," Buchholz said.

She said the students love helping out.

"They have fun and see how their small efforts can mean a lot to someone else," Buchholz said. "I think it's helpful for them to see those examples for how they can help their community."

Sixth grader Mattie Wenninger, who has experience raking leaves at home, enjoyed the opportunity to assist the community.

"I want to help the people who can't rake the lawns themselves," Wenninger said.

People can sign up to volunteer or request a project for next year's Day of Caring at uwbrowncounty.org or call the United Way office at 507-354-6512.