Whatcom County volunteers needed for Make a Difference Day

ISABELLE DILLS - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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Whatcom County residents are encouraged to volunteer their time and help the community Saturday, Oct. 24, for the 19th annual Make a Difference Day.

The event, which is open to all ages, was started by USA Weekend Magazine and is held on the fourth Saturday every October.

"This is one of the biggest volunteer days in the country," said Randi McKenna, outreach coordinator for the Whatcom Volunteer Center. About 3 million volunteers participated in the event in 2008, she said.

Whatcom County, which has 41 work sites, is seeking more than 650 volunteers this year, McKenna said.

"For a lot of people, this is their first-time experience with volunteering," McKenna said. "It's also a great way to meet new people."

Several projects are still seeking volunteers, she said. Those include the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association and the Chore Program.

NSEA needs 94 volunteers to help plant native trees and shrubs and restore the habitat for wild coho and chum salmon, according to the Whatcom Volunteer Center Web site.

The Chore program is seeking 48 volunteers to assist seniors or adults with disabilities with small, simple housework or yard work.

McKenna is also trying to find quilters willing to volunteer their time to sew together quilt blocks and assemble an intergenerational handprint quilt for the St. Francis Foundation. The quilt will be raffled off for the foundation's intergeneration and child-care programs. Five volunteers are still needed for that project.

Make a Difference Day takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Those who sign up can get a free breakfast at 8 a.m. at Bellingham High School.

For more information or to volunteer, visit whatcomvolunteer.org/events/make-a-difference-day/.