For the past 23 years, United Way of Northwest Georgia has celebrated Make a Difference Day on the fourth Friday and Saturday in October. United Way hosted volunteer projects the week of October 23 - 28. Mannington Phenix and Marketing Alliance Group are this year’s Make a Difference Day Premier Sponsors. Mannington Phenix and Marketing Alliance Group both gave $5,000 in grant funding to help make this year’s Make a Difference Day outstanding! This year, we also had four additional community project sponsors: Dalton Utilities, Engineered Floors, Mohawk Industries, and Shaw Industries. United Way of Northwest Georgia’s affinity groups, Together Unidos, Women’s Leadership Council, Young Leaders Society, and Youth United had their projects. Ten volunteer projects were held through the Power of Community in Whitfield and Murray counties.
“United Way of Northwest Georgia is honored to participate in Make a Difference Day each year. At United Way, we know how impactful our Make a Difference Day projects are within our local community. In addition, Mannington Phenix and Marketing Alliance Group’s sponsorship has ensured that countless lives will be improved through these volunteer projects. To Live Better, we must all Live United because that’s The Power of Community.” United Way President, Amanda Burt.
One of our Premier Sponsors, Marketing Alliance Group, sponsored a volunteer project at New Hope Elementary School. This dream team volunteered their time and talents unpacking, assembling, and installing sensory equipment at New Hope Elementary School! The new sensory room at New Hope will be a safe place for children with sensory processing needs to go when they need to calm down or stimulate their senses. Thank you, Marketing Alliance Group, for making a difference in students' lives right here in our local community.
Other projects completed for United Way of Northwest Georgia's Make A Difference Day include:
Dalton Utilities sponsored a volunteer project at United Way Community Partner, Boys and Girls Club. This Make a Difference Day project addressed the drainage needs between the playgrounds and the field. Volunteers put river rocks to fill the drainage ditch and prevent any further erosion to maintain the integrity of the surrounding playground and field. If this problem had gone unaddressed, the large playground would be subject to erosion and begin to wash away. In addition to the Make a Difference Day outdoor project from 2022, the 2023 project added to the recent outdoor volleyball court, and volunteers filled the court with new sand and created a surrounding border to hold in the sand. This project allows the court to continue to be utilized during the fall months and beyond for Club kids and community youth. The long-term impact of the project is evident in the measures taken to provide erosion control and maintain the structural integrity of the surrounding playground, field, and volleyball court. This project will make a difference in the lives of the young people served, their families, and the community!
Engineered Floors volunteered at United Way Community Partner, Northwest Georgia Family Crisis Center. Engineered Floors volunteers removed the old flooring from the NWGA Family Crisis Center’s bedrooms in their emergency shelter and replaced it with new flooring generously donated by Engineered Floors. Volunteers installed new flooring in eight of their emergency shelter bedrooms. The long-term impact of this project is to continue providing a safe place for victims of domestic violence in Whitfield and Murray counties. Making bedrooms and living areas more serene will help provide a comfortable place for the victims because that is where their clients spend most of their time. This will help to begin the healing process that is needed to help them get back on their feet as they prepare to start a new life that doesn't involve domestic violence relationships.
Mohawk Industries sponsored two volunteer projects. One at United Way Community Partner, Carter Hope Center, and the other at United Way Community Partner, Cross Plains Community Partner. Carter Hope Center has recently opened its 12-Step Community Building to allow all N/A and 12-step-based programs to hold meetings. Carter Hope Center will utilize this location for their Family Education groups as well. Volunteers helped with an outside beautification project at this new facility. For the Cross Plains project, volunteers hosted a cookout for their participants. The cookout provided engagement with the individuals Cross Plains serves and provided the community an opportunity to see the reciprocal benefit of the people they serve. It allows an opportunity to demystify prior conceptions and thoughts of people with disabilities. This creates an opportunity to fulfill the vision of ensuring everyone feels like a part of our community.
Shaw Industries sponsored a Make a Difference Day Project with United Way Community Partner GreenHouse at their new satellite site in Murray County. Volunteers helped with the beautification and maintenance of the property, installed a new front door, and volunteers helped paint and install a new sign for this location. Rebuilding Hope is helping facilitate the installation of the ADA-compliant wheelchair. Volunteers purchased the materials for the wheelchair ramp, and it will be installed at a later date. This new property will allow GreenHouse to serve their Murray County clients who need therapy and forensic interviews. This new satellite site will be in addition to their current Dalton location and will not replace the Whitfield County GreenHouse. The long-term impact of this project will allow their clients and families a conveniently located GreenHouse in Murray County to continue needed services – especially therapy services, which happen weekly.
United Way’s Young Leaders Society volunteered to refresh a Born Learning Trail installed in 2019 at Harlan Godfrey Civitan Park. The Born Learning Trails include activities to promote early learning and advocate for family health. The Born Learning Trail is a series of 10 interactive signs that offer fun, active learning activities for young children and their families. Signs are available in English and Spanish and feature different activities that engage early childhood developmental skills. Go check out the refreshed Born Learning Trail at Harlan Godfrey Civitan Park and turn everyday moments into learning moments!
United Way’s Together Unidos group worked on the painting/beautifying the sculpture "Among the Someone" on East Morris Street. The Together Unidos group added a fresh coat of paint to the "Among the Someone" sculpture added solar lights, and vegetation around the structure. This project will continue to encourage revitalization and beautification of the East Morris area. Taking care of the art structure will help strengthen community pride for the future.
United Way Women’s Leadership Council volunteers installed and stocked two new Little Free Libraries at United Way Community Partner, Friendship House, and Whitfield Dalton Daycare Center. The volunteers also stayed to read to the children at both locations. The purpose of these libraries is to provide a place where all readers in the community can share books throughout the year. Participants can leave books to share with others in the box and take a book they would like to read. You can find all our Little Free Libraries by visiting United Way’s website, www.ourunitedway.org/little-free-libraries.
This year was also the 29th annual event of the Conasauga River Watershed Clean-Up. United Way’s Youth United volunteers rolled up their sleeves and cleaned up trash from the river and banks at the Conasauga River at Lakeshore Park location. Other volunteers cleaned up trash from the following seven locations: Conasauga River at Carlton Petty Road Bridge, Conasauga River at Highway 2 Bridge, Conasauga River at Lower King’s Bridge/Norton Bridge, Holly Creek, Murray County, on the Chattahoochee National Forest, Mill Creek tributary in the City of Dalton, Crown Creek in the City of Dalton, and Conasauga River Snorkeling Hole, TN.
United Way works year-round to fight for the education, basic needs, and health of every person in our local community. To Live Better we must all Live United because that’s the Power of Community! Visit ourunitedway.org for more information on how to get involved