Twenty-one volunteers and two staff members prepared the Raritan Valley YMCA for winter the day after Thanksgiving.
Several outdoor clean-up tasks and some indoor holiday decorating by Megan Knelle of the Y staff made for a productive day on Nov. 27.
The effort was led by Point Community Church member and new Y volunteer, Pat Ryan, who brought together 18 church volunteers and six Y volunteers for 5 hours, according to a statement provided by the Y. Volunteers raked leaves, cleaned parking areas, squeegeed windows, cut grass, and turned over flower beds and picked up debris to improve the Y grounds.
To pay for such landscaping services would costs thousands of dollars. With an already stretched budget due to COVID-19 conditions, the donated service helps to keep the Y viable and youth services operational, according to the statement.
“I am grateful to those who attended and gave time to the Y. I think everyone left tired but with a good feeling,” Executive Director Gina Stravic said in the statement.
Volunteers from Point Community Church included Pastor Thomas Wong and sons, Dominick and Jeanette Lorenzon, Andrew and Alisha Carr and sons, Jose and Isabelle Montes and children, Randy Bugge and sons, Pat Ryan and Michael Behan; Y Board Members Arthur Lewin, Andrew Thor-Eklund and Karen Scott; and YMCA Riptide Swim Team Members Todd, Andrew and Harrison Pearce.