pi2021

July 19, 2021

Week 3 – Impact Outreach

Welcome to one of several summer 2021 Project Impact Outreach recaps from our Project Impact ROI intern. Project Impact ROI is an annual program designed to engage local high-school seniors and college-age students in community service, and expand our SHOTC youth summer programming and outreach. In return, the intern gains valuable leadership experience, credit hours (if applicable), and a monetary stipend. Know a student (18+) who would make a great intern candidate for Project Impact ROI? Click here for information.

My name is Olivia, and I’m the 2021 Hands On Thomas County Impact ROI intern! I am a graduate of Thomasville High School Scholars Academy and a sophomore at the University of Georgia. After graduating, I hope to work for a non-profit as a Financial Planner or Advisor. I am excited to be back in my home town this summer to benefit my community. Thanks for following along on my intern and volunteer adventures.

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After two weeks of recharging, we are back at it again! I can definitely say it is good to be back. I was able to get right back into the groove and focus on the two service projects I had this week with The Boys and Girls Club and Vashti’s Ventures and Connections.

Both groups did litter pick-ups in partnership with Keep Thomas County Beautiful. Keep Thomas County Beautiful is a non-profit organization that helps our community by promoting litter pick-ups, recycling, and so much more to make our town a lovely place!

On Tuesday, the Boys and Girls Club and I took on downtown Thomasville, while on Wednesday, Ventures and I tackled Cherokee Lake. We swept sidewalks, scraped gum off of benches and trash cans, and picked up all the litter we could see. We are some avid cleaners. Make sure to check out all of our action pics to prove how good we are!

The kids really loved this project because they love our town, our community, and our public areas. Brandon from Ventures even said, “If we use the area, it is our responsibility to clean it up.” I couldn’t have said it better myself!!

If you feel the same way, you can check out your own litter pick-up kits from the Thomas County Public Library, or Keep Thomas County Beautiful can provide you the supplies and even a recommended pick-up route if needed. A big thank you to Julie Murphree and everyone at Keep Thomas County Beautiful!

On a final note about this week, I truly missed these groups and service projects during our break. Helping my community has become such second nature now with these weekly projects. I am so glad I get to be a part of them. I am sad that my last week of service projects is next week but proud of all of the work we have done!

THANK YOU to all of our sponsors, especially our Diamond Level (and above) Sponsors Ashley HomeStore, New Hire Solutions, Mr. & Mrs. Russell Chubb, Mr. & Mrs. Howell L. Ferguson, Ms. Diane W. Parker, and Dr. & Mrs. Philip C. Watt; as well as the Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation for making volunteer programs like these possible.

Vashti – litter pick up

Mainstreet Sweep with Boys & Girls Club

Mainstreet Sweep with Boys & Girls Club

July 19, 2021

Week 2 – Impact Outreach

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When it rains, it pours! And it sure did pour the week of June 21st, but the rain didn’t keep us down during our second week of Project Impact Outreach. Boy, our summer of service just keeps getting better and better!

I was ecstatic to start the new week having two events: one with the Marguerite Neel Williams Boys and Girls Club on Tuesday morning and another project with Vashti’s Ventures & Connections on Wednesday morning. Double the fun!!

On June 22nd, the Boys and Girls Club completed Thomas County Rocks and wrote positive letters to senior citizens. Originally, we were supposed to be outside doing stencil art, but the weather kept us indoors.

Even though it rained and rained, the Boys and Girls Club kids didn’t let it stop their fun while we completed Positivity Rocks designed to bring smiles to local community members who find them hidden around town. These kids are artists. I mean they are seriously talented. One volunteer even drew Spongebob and Plankton on rocks! Go check out our pictures!

We didn’t get to hide the rocks because of the rain, but we calculated and coordinated each place we WOULD LIKE to hide our rocks, so for next time, we know exactly where we are going to put them. I truly love this service project which is just a random act of kindness anyone can perform. It is simple and sweet. Rain or sunshine the positivity shines through. And to be completely honest, I can’t wait till we hide them (and you find them!)

Then, the following day on the 23rd, I led a service project for Ventures & Connections at NeverLost, a non-profit that advocates and provides resources for children and families transitioning through the court and/or foster system. I had never heard of NeverLost until this internship, and it is probably one of my new favorite nonprofits to help.

We wrote letters to foster kids and then organized the Donation Room which was filled with clothes, books, toys, diapers, and toiletries. Every item in that room can make a kid’s (or family’s) life just a little bit easier. All I can say is if anyone needs help with cleaning and organizing, I think we are your people — Ventures & Connections crushed it! A big thank you to Hannah Phillips and Wendy Green for allowing us to volunteer at NeverLost. Be sure to check out their website and lend a hand when you are able.

The Boys and Girls Club and Ventures & Connections never let the gloomy weather ruin their mood. Both groups had fun and made a difference. At the end of each project, we all knew we were doing something good, which is what makes this internship so meaningful and special to me. I can’t ask for anything better than that.

Olivia giving a quick introduction to the project

Boys & Girls Club

She drew that!

Boys & Girls Club

Look at all these rocks!

Boys & Girls Club

Working hard!

Vashti at Never Lost

June 12, 2021

Day 5 – Project Impact 2021

The last day of summer service camp is always bittersweet. On the one hand, we are all exhausted from our week of projects, tired of the heat and humidity, and ready to be done with the hard work we face every day. On the other hand, we have had such fun, felt a sense of satisfaction from our many accomplishments, grown to appreciate each other, and well, we are going to miss our volunteer friends and our time doing good things together.

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Friday’s theme was Youth Outreach. We spent the entire day making friends at The Vashti Center which provides support and resources to kids and families in crisis. You never know what someone may be going through – physically, mentally, or spiritually. We are blessed to have such amazing organizations to address these needs in our community.

We were privileged to be able to spend the day getting to know some of the kids from the Vashti Resiliency Clubhouse – Ventures & Connections. We started off with a morning on the Low Ropes Team Building Course – a series of elements that requires teamwork and group strategizing to complete. We accomplished the:

Whale Watch – a raft-shaped see-saw which teams have to balance off the ground for 10 seconds
Nitro – a swinging rope requiring teams to transfer members into specific places on one side, then get them safely back to the original side
and, Mohawk – a tight-wire that all team members needed to traverse while connected together.

They were a challenge, but one our combined group was up for! Some of our takeaways from the course:

Think outside of the box
Everything requires balance
Together, we can do so much more!

These are ideas that were definitely pertinent on the course but are also great to remember in everyday life.

We then enjoyed a cookout thanks to HOTC Board Member Jason Harpe (and Publix, and Flowers Foods) who served hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and drinks. We were also treated to Banks Italian Ices thanks to incoming Board Member Roderick Banks. We are so appreciative of our Board Members for all they do to support HOTC programs and events.

After lunch, we joined longtime volunteer and Thomas University Associate Professor of Art Rich Curtis to paint murals in the health clinic. Armed with paintbrushes and Vashti colors, we brightened up the clinic hallways with butterflies, flowers, and greenery to complement the organization motif.

We enjoyed our time together, and look forward to completing more amazing volunteer projects with youth in the community soon. Thank you so much to all of the parents, partners, and campers for making youth service a priority in this community.

THANK YOU to all of our sponsors, volunteers, non-profits, and groups who support our volunteer events and programs, especially Diamond Level (and above) Sponsors Ashley HomeStore, New Hire Solutions, Mr. & Mrs. Russell Chubb, Mr. & Mrs. Howell L. Ferguson, Ms. Diane W. Parker, and Dr. & Mrs. Philip C. Watt; as well as the Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation for helping to make youth programs like this possible.

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June 10, 2021

Day 4 – Project Impact 2021

Thursday. Whew, what a day! We were optimistic that these kids could handle what we had in store. And boy, did they! Thursday’s theme – Human Services – focused on working with local agencies who help and support our community members in times of need or crisis.

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We started our morning at Scott Senior Center. Although currently (and still) closed due to COVID-19, HOTC and our campers have a relationship with the facility, and the people, that goes way back, so we thought it would be a perfect spot for our very first camper-run Manna Drop (free food distribution).

Food insecurity is a serious issue throughout southwest Georgia, so with the assistance of Second Harvest, Thomas County Public Works, and with a special appearance from Thomasville Police Department, the kids took on the task of feeding neighbors in need. In just under 2 hours, they unloaded, sorted, packed, and handed out thousands of pounds of food staples from flour to canned stew. That is quite a feat! We almost didn’t think we were going to get it all done, but we did. Which just proves that these kids can do anything given the chance.

You would think that would have been enough to call it a day…nope! From there, we packed up some remaining food boxes and reported to the Salvation Army where, for another 2 hours, we washed their vehicles. stocked the food pantry, organized the thrift store, and cleared limbs and debris from the Needham House. Every one of our campers finished strong and proud of their accomplishments: Tired but inspired. That, folks, is how you volunteer.

THANK YOU to all of our sponsors, volunteers, non-profits, and groups who support our volunteer events and programs, especially our Diamond Level (and above) Sponsors Ashley HomeStore, New Hire Solutions, Mr. & Mrs. Russell Chubb, Mr. & Mrs. Howell L. Ferguson, Ms. Diane W. Parker, and Dr. & Mrs. Philip C. Watt; as well as the Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation for helping to make youth programs like this possible.

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June 9, 2021

Day 3 – Project Impact 2021

Wednesday was all about our local senior citizens. We had one goal for the day: lots of smiles! After seeing so many happy faces (from both seniors and campers), it was clear we achieved just that… all while 3 feet apart!

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Our morning was spent at Providence Plaza completing a random act of kindness – porch plants for the residents. First task: plants! The campers gathered their materials (soil, trowels, flowers, notecards) and got down to business. Working together, they repotted over 100 flowers, each with a special handwritten note! We must say… we were quite impressed with their gardening (and note) skills! Next task: porches! Once the flowers were finished, and after a much-needed water break, we split into groups and placed a plant on each of the resident’s porches. Several of the residents had smiles and thanked us for making their day. Smile goal complete!

After lunch at Balfour Park, we headed to our next project site, Legacy Village at Plantation Manor, an assisted living community for seniors. Even though the heat had most of us exhausted, we powered together to complete the many tasks at hand. We picked up sticks and pinecones, made smiles cards and memory collages, pulled vines (which surprisingly many enjoyed), and planted even more plants – this time in-ground and with the help of one of the residents! Speaking of residents, many of them were watching from the inside and giving us lots of thumbs up and smiles. Goal complete once more!

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June 8, 2021

Day 2 – Project Impact 2021

Tuesday was animal day! The most favorite volunteer day of all for most of our youth volunteers. Our discussions focused on how we help animals, and how they help us.

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Our morning was spent at Hands & Hearts For Horses which provides hippotherapy for youth and adults with special needs. With a full stable of horses, farm and barn chores were on our task list: shoveling manure, clearing the sensory trail of debris, raking and weeding the playground, and cleaning food and water buckets. We also had the opportunity to see hippotherapy sessions in action. Volunteers ages 12+ are welcome throughout the year to help with chores and lessons. Animal count: 1 barn cat, 2 goats, and numerous horses.

After lunch and a quick litter clean-up at Cherokee Lake, we traveled to the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society where we dropped off donations of treats and blankets, washed the animal control vehicles, socialized with cats, provided treats and walked dogs. We don’t know who was happier to see who (kids, cats, or dogs)? We also got to check out the new dog and cat shacks which allow a domestic experience for people and animals to get to know each other. Our hope is that every animal finds its fur-ever home soon! Animal count: 67 dogs, 28 cats.

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June 7, 2021

Day 1 – Project Impact 2021

After missing a year of summer service camp due to COVID, we are super excited to be back at it for 2021. Our motto for this week of service camp is “Do Something Good!” And on day one, we did!

Scroll down to see pictures from our day of service!

Our theme for the day – Our Community. We are a community of people, places, and things. As members of the community, it is our responsibility to take care of it, no matter what our age or size.

We started off at the newly renovated Francis Weston Park. In partnership with the City of Thomasville, we installed “invisible stencil art” on the sidewalks. These messages of positivity and action will be seen only when wet – so after it rains or the sprinklers come on (or someone, um, accidentally, of course, spills their bottle of water on it). These little surprises are designed to bring a smile to those who are lucky enough to come upon them. You never know what small act (or random act of kindness) is going to change someone’s day for the better. This is just a fun way to do so, and a fun way to start our week.

After lunch, we headed downtown for a Main Street Sweep in partnership with Keep Thomas County Beautiful and Downtown Main Street. We started at The Ritz Amphitheater and worked our way down Broad Street and surrounding blocks picking up litter, scraping gum off trash cans and streets (it’s disgusting, but a LOT more fun than it sounds), and sweeping the storefronts. Just our way of showing a little love to our downtown businesses! We received heartfelt thanks and support from many of our local business owners. We also incorporated an architectural scavenger hunt into our time downtown to learn a bit about our beautiful, historic city thanks to Thomasville Landmarks. Then, of course, it rained. A lot! Being the troopers these youth volunteers are, they finished the job, wet, but satisfied with their day’s service.

We hope, and believe, they will feel even more satisfaction as our week of doing good continues.