Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe created a day of volunteer service to kick off his term as governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. On Saturday, Jan. 4, more than 75 people came to the American Legion hall on Center Street to explore volunteer opportunities that make the community a better place to live in.
Vienna Day of Service organizer Cherie Lejeune said the event had a “great” turnout of high school students from Oakton, Marshall, Madison and Paul VI. Lejeune said the students agreed that they would push volunteering for the next 5 months of school.
Incentives will be given to the teens who do their 10 hours of required community service by March 15, Lejeune said. The school that contributes the most number of hours by March 31 and then again by June 1 will get a reward to encourage more participation.
“I was really happy so many parents cared to bring their kids out to understand more about the process of volunteering,” said Lejeune. “Too many kids just do their 10 hours without really connecting with the organizations they help.”
Nonprofits and service organizations who participated in Vienna’s Day of Service included Committee for Helping Others [CHO], Shepherd’s Center of Oakton-Vienna, Women's Auxiliary Post 180, Honor Card, Volunteer Fairfax, Capital Caring, Toastmasters, Sierra Club, Lands and Water, High Performance Aging, and the Town of Vienna. The town allows for volunteer posts on many of their commissions.
“We figure the individuals who came, as well as the organizers, will give back to their community, at least, 1000 volunteer hours, which makes us very, very happy,” said Lejeune. Not included in that number are people like Lejeune and others there who give back hundreds of hours each year, Lejeune said.
— Donna Manz