DENVER, Colo. -- A grass-roots "day of service" effort, initiated by Church members and sanctioned by Gov. Bill Owens, resulted in thousands of Colorado citizens donating their talents and energy in scores of volunteer projects throughout the state on July 31.
"Colorado Cares: a Day to Give Back to Colorado" was proclaimed by Gov. Owens in commemoration of the 123rd anniversary of the Centennial State's admission to the Union in 1876.Similar in concept to "Take Pride in Utah Day" held July 17 in the Beehive State (see July 24 Church News), the day of service in Colorado was kicked off in the morning with a rally on the steps of the state Capitol in Denver. Thereafter, hundreds of businesses, churches and faith-based organizations, charities and non-profit groups went to work in projects that included helping elderly paint their homes, working with youth on literacy and violence prevention and restoring trails in state parks.
Along with the governor and two other people, one of the speakers at the rally was Ilene Dibble, Denver Multistake director of public affairs for the Church.
Sister Dibble was invited to speak because of the Church's involvement in the genesis of "Colorado Cares Day."
In 1998, she and two stake presidents with responsibility over public affairs -- Pres. Robert M. Lewis of the Arvada Colorado Stake and Pres. Randy D. Funk of the Arapahoe Colorado Stake contacted then-Gov.-elect Owens regarding the idea of establishing a statewide day of service. (His election campaign and subsequent inaugural address focused on the need for grass-roots voluntarism to help Colorado meet some of its challenges.)
He asked the three Church members to meet with his Policy and Initiative Staff to develop the idea. The governor's proclamation resulted, with July 31 being declared Colorado Cares Day.
As president of the North America Central Area, Elder Hugh W. Pinnock of the Seventy followed up with a letter to stake presidents throughout Colorado encouraging their support for the event. And the governor's staff established an Internet web site with a county-by-county list of projects to coordinate volunteers' participation.
Nineteen stakes throughout Colorado organized some 55 service projects on a stake or ward level, Sister Dibble said. "From Aspen to Steamboat Springs, projects included community clean-ups, a preparedness fair, painting and fix-up projects and a quilting bee for a safe house."
One project which was postponed because of weather, but will involve LDS participation, is the laying of sod at a new Episcopal Church in North Denver, Sister Dibble said.
Here are summaries of some of the projects undertaken by members of the Church:
About 80 members of the Denver Colorado Stake assembled at the stake center to tie and bind 160 quilts ranging in size from pre-natal to "throws" for teens. The quilts were donated to "Project Linus," an organization that gives security and warmth through blankets and quilts to traumatized children.
Some 140 volunteers from the Arvada Colorado Stake painted 20 homes for the needy. The project was coordinated through Brothers Redevelopment, an organization that fosters such efforts. The cost of painting each home would have been between $500 and $1,000, had the work not been donated.
Church members in Colorado Springs undertook two projects on Pikes Peak at elevations of more than 9,000 feet. Members of the Monument Ward, Colorado Springs North stake, built an amphitheater next to Crystal Creek Reservoir. And farther up the mountain highway, members of the Academy and Pine Creek wards planted approximately 300 trees to prevent land erosion from the harsh mountain weather.
Eight wards in For Collins Colorado Stake engaged in a variety of projects including clearing hiking and biking trails and beautifying a home for disabled children.
Regarding the day of service, Sister Dibble said, "This was a great opportunity for people from faith-based organizations as well as non-profits, corporations, businesses, service clubs and other segments of the community to come together on one day to send a strong message."
The message, she said, was two-fold: that voluntarism is alive and well in Colorado and that "we can work together to help the needy, improve the community, strengthen families and senior citizens and just generally create a stronger feeling of community