Finding ways to contribute to the community isn’t hard for the Impact/Aktion Club. It’s what team members do best. Since the club’s creation in 2012, members have contributed more than 10,000 hours of volunteer time to the Scioto County community. As of July 31, team members have donated 1,772 hours this year to the community through such volunteer efforts as:
* Partnering with the United Way’s literacy program to read at Carousel Center, Portsmouth East Elementary School, Wheelersburg Elementary School, and Northwest Elementary School.
* Adopting the Lock 48 Historic Site on Ohio 104 in McDermott, which is part of the Scioto Heritage Tail Scenic Byway, to pick up trash year-round, as well as maintenance during the mowing season.
* Helping Boy Scout Camp Oyo Ranger Matt Taylor with maintenance at the camp.
* Volunteering in laundry services at Southern Ohio Medical Center.
* Music outreach at 15 local nursing and day-hab facilities.
* Handing out meals at Minford Elementary School’s summer program.
“Our biggest projects are with the Salvation Army. In addition to helping to serve the free community lunch one day a week, we also ring bells during the Kettle campaign,” said K.C. Chatfield, Impact/Aktion Club advisor. “Last year, 2014, in 28 hours of bell ringing we gathered $3,720.15 in donations. That works out to an incredible $132.86 per hour! On Christmas Eve alone we gathered an amazing $735 in just four hours!”
Impact/Aktion Club members were recently recognized for their service at a lunchtime ceremony at Gatti’s Pizza in Portsmouth. The following individuals donated more than 100 hours of community service in 2014:
David Hoover – 262.25 hours; Jeremy Call & Daniel Whitaker – 181.50 hours; Jerry Coyle – 176 hours; Brandi Pennington – 175 hours; Tony Mills – 157 hours; Tony Fisher – 154.50 hours; Chuck Lansing – 154.25 hours; Tina Swim – 151.25 hours; John Roth – 142.25 hours; Jessica Riggs – 141 hours; Jeana Pitts – 130.25 hours; Paula Currence – 108.75 hours.