CareFest St. Pete 2016 Seeks Volunteers for Citywide Workday

St. Petersburg, FL – People looking to help make St. Petersburg a better place to live for all of its residents can donate some time and elbow grease during CareFest 2016.

Volunteers are needed for various home repair projects, painting, mowing, weeding, yard work and cleanups throughout St. Petersburg neighborhoods on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The annual week of compassion-related activities, sponsored by Somebody Cares Tampa Bay under the umbrella of CareFest USA, culminates with a day of service benefitting individual homeowners, schools and non-profit organizations.

Tim Marshick, SCTB’s new executive director, works directly with City of St. Petersburg officials and other participating cities to ensure the success of CareFest and related efforts year round.

CareFest activities are part of St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman’s I C.A.N (Involved Citizens Active in Neighborhoods) initiative, which helps disseminate and support effective, efficient volunteer efforts throughout the city and throughout the year. The city’s Community Services Department is leading the day of service.

Neighborhood and community-based groups, houses of worship, corporate teams, school clubs, businesses and individuals are invited to participate in a variety of one-day projects. CareFest 2016 begins and ends at Lake Vista Park, 1401 62nd Ave. S., with check-in and light morning refreshments.

Volunteer roles may include cleaning up right-of-way areas, installing community signs, building wheelchair ramps, painting, handling minor home repair projects, and yard and garden work.

Once finished at their project site, participants are invited back to Lake Vista Park for volunteer recognition, lunch and entertainment from noon to 1:30 p.m. The event wraps up with CareFest organizers and Kriseman presenting certificates to all volunteer groups.

Last September, more than 1,500 volunteers and 50 groups participated in CareFest St. Pete, completing 81 projects.

To learn more about St. Petersburg’s CareFest activities, visit www.carefestusa.com and click on Get Involved, Search for a Project, then St. Petersburg.

For more information on volunteering for CareFest, call Susan Ajoc, Community Services, at (727) 892-5141 or Chis Cahall, CareFest St. Pete co-chair, at (727) 743-5695. Volunteers and groups can also request information at ICAN@stpete.org.

Image via Shutterstock

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