project impact

June 12, 2022

Service Camp Day 5

We did it! Our goal this week is to complete a service project in each of Thomas County’s cities: Meigs, Boston, Pavo, Coolidge, Metcalfe, Ochlocknee, and Thomasville. Today, we volunteered in Coolidge and Metcalfe making good on our commitment to serve all of Thomas County.

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Starting our day in Coolidge, we partnered with the Coolidge Community Association (CCA) to complete a small streetscape project – planting flowers in pots which were then placed in front of businesses along the downtown route. We also potted 50+ “porch plants” which we hand-delivered to local residents. Each plant included a handwritten note to bring joy to the recipients! And a Little Free Library was left behind at the community association building.

Then we were off to meet the Pavo Civic Club at the Pavo Peacock Center where we scraped paint from the kitchen area, and removed stickers and labels from over 100 metal chairs that are used at community events. Our last Little Free Library was painted and installed at the center’s entrance to spread the love of reading.

After a long, hot day of volunteer service, we returned to our home base to enjoy popsicles compliments of Blue Bell and reflect on our week:

Favorite projects – Humane Society and Scott Senior Center put our social skills to the test, and we passed with flying colors!
Hardest projects – Metcalfe murals and Pavo chairs were the most labor-intensive requiring patience and a little bit of elbow grease.
Most satisfying projects – Second Harvest and Boston Main Street Sweep which required teamwork and efficiency, but we were able to immediately see the results of our work.

We are so proud of these kids! No matter where we went, or what they were tasked with, they gave it their all with commitment, determination, and enthusiasm. They proved that student volunteers can make a difference in Thomas County.

Special thanks to these Diamond Level & above Sponsors, The Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation, and all of our donors and sponsors for making volunteer programs and events like these possible.

June 12, 2022

Day 4 Service Camp

Our goal this week is to complete a service project in each of Thomas County’s cities: Meigs, Boston, Pavo, Coolidge, Metcalfe, Ochlocknee, and Thomasville. Today, we volunteered in Metcalfe and at Second Harvest.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PICTURES. FIND LOTS MORE ON OUR FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.

First thing in the morning, we were on the bus for the drive to Metcalfe (don’t forget the E!). This small town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And is famous for being featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1951 film Stranger On A Train, and its Orange Crush mural.

In partnership with the Metcalfe Community Association (MCA) and Professor Rich Curtis from Thomas University, we painted five canvas murals that will be used at festivals and events like their annual Spring Market, and as a “picture spot.” We also had time to hide a few painted Thomas County Rocks. For a job well done, we were treated to lunch catered by Mary’s Kitchen (if you haven’t been, you should – it’s a great reason to visit Metcalfe), and of course, Orange Crush sodas.

After a delicious lunch and short break, we were back on the bus to Thomasville and the Second Harvest warehouse. Second Harvest of South Georgia is our region’s largest food bank and distribution center which battles food insecurity. Today, we helped pack food boxes that will be distributed to neighbors in need. We averaged 100 boxes every 15 minutes! The kids were so fast and efficient, that we actually ran out of boxes to pack.

Wednesday, “humpday”, is usually the hardest day because we are sooooo tired. This year, it was Thursday that had us “tired, but inspired.” We plan to finish strong on Friday, our last day of service camp!

Special thanks to these Diamond Level & above Sponsors, The Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation, and all of our donors and sponsors for making volunteer programs and events like these possible.

June 8, 2022

Service Camp Day 3

We were wrong. We thought Animal Day was the best day, but it turns out senior day might be! Our goal this week is to complete a service project in each of Thomas County’s cities: Meigs, Boston, Pavo, Coolidge, Metcalfe, Ochlocknee, and Thomasville. Today our focus was on Scott Senior Center in Thomasville, and the City of Boston,

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This morning, after a too-long hiatus due to COVID, we had the opportunity to visit with our friends at Scott Senior Center. This is one site that never fails to pull at the heartstrings and bring a smile to every camper! While there we gave out smile cards made by our student volunteers, led devotional and the Pledge of Allegiance, participated in an exercise class, weeded the garden box and planted tomatoes, peppers, and sunflowers, and played several rousing and competitive games of BINGO! Our time was too short, but much appreciated by both campers and seniors.

We then jumped on the bus to travel to Boston. With a population of 1207, Boston is small, but thriving with great shops, several delicious restaurants, popular annual events, a historic Carnegie Library, and an active citizenry. Our afternoon consisted of a deluxe version of our Main Street Sweep: putting down new pine straw in Watt Park, weeding, garden beds, planting flowers in the breezeway pocket park, and cleaning storefront windows – our way of showing a little love and appreciation to the downtown businesses that make Boston so great!

We also installed another Little Free Library – this one painted in a space theme, and made Thomas County Rocks which were then hidden around town to bring smiles to those who find them.

It was a great day of outreach both one-on-one and community-wide! We are so proud of all we were able to accomplish together.

Special thanks to these Diamond Level & above Sponsors, The Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation, and all of our donors and sponsors for making volunteer programs and events like these possible.

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June 8, 2022

Day 2 Service Camp 2022

Day 2 of Project Impact Summer Service Camp 2022 was the best day, Animal Day! Our goal this week is to complete a service project in each of Thomas County’s cities: Meigs, Boston, Pavo, Coolidge, Metcalfe, Ochlocknee, and Thomasville. Today our focus was on Thomasville, specifically Hands & Hearts For Horses and the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society.

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Thomasville is our county’s largest city, and where the majority of our partner non-profits are located. Two non-profits that our campers look forward to every year work with and/or serve animals.

In the morning, we went to Hands & Hearts For Horses which provides equine therapy to youth with disabilities. There, we mucked and laid new sand and hay in the stalls, dug a trench to prevent flooding in the stables during storms, cleared and raked the sensory trail, weeded and cleaned the playground and equipment, walked and cleared fence lines, and cleaned the activity room. We also made friends with the horses and goats!

After lunch at Cherokee Lake, we were off to the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society to spend the afternoon socializing with dogs and cats awaiting their forever homes. We also helped reinstall tarp coverings, weeded the walking trail, and made dog treats. Our favorite time though is always spent getting close and cuddly with the animals. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of them were snuck on the bus to take home (Just kidding parents)! Campers also donated towels, dog treats, hand sanitizer, and other items always in need there.

Although it is an enjoyable day because animals are involved, the work is not easy! Just a reminder, we are talking 31 students, mostly middle-school age who are doing these volunteer jobs fit for adults with commitment and enthusiasm each day…and then coming back to do more. We are always impressed at what kids can do, and will do when given the opportunity.

Special thanks to these Diamond Level & above Sponsors, The Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation, and all of our donors and sponsors for making volunteer programs and events like these possible.

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June 7, 2022

Service Camp 2022 Day 1

What a great first day of Project Impact Summer Service Camp 2022! Our goal this week is to complete a service project in each of Thomas County’s cities: Meigs, Boston, Pavo, Coolidge, Metcalfe, Ochlocknee, and Thomasville. First stops: Meigs and Ochlocknee.

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In the 1950s, Meigs was booming thanks to the Dixie Highway Scenic Byway – a monument now marks the spot. Although now struggling like many small towns, its citizenry is active and determined to honor its history and revitalize their community. Our morning was spent with long-time partners the Virtuous Girls Group of Meigs. Together, we cleaned playground equipment, cleaned and organized the library, did some clean-up and landscaping at Meigs City Hall, helped organize items in the area that they soon hope to turn into a museum, and installed our first Little Free Library in partnership with Rotary of Thomasville and the Times-Enterprise.

After lunch, and a treat from Banks Italian Ice, we were off to our next project site, the Ochlocknee River. Ochlocknee is derived from the Appalachee language – oki meaning water and lagana meaning yellow (from the clay banks). While at the river, in partnership with Keep Thomas County Beautiful, we experienced a watershed model and collected 11 bags of trash, 2 tires, a chair, assorted car fenders, and other strange miscellaneous items in less than two hours. We are sad that there was actually so much trash to pick up (and probably will be again), but we are happy to be able to do our part.

Today was HOT and hard work, but we are proud of these kids and their determination and enthusiasm.

Special thanks to these Diamond Level & above Sponsors, The Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation, and all of our donors and sponsors for making volunteer programs and events like these possible.

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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!

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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.