Saginaw, Mich. – More than 260 volunteers from 15 area high schools will join forces on Thursday, Oct. 18, as part of the annual Make A Difference Day event to clean, paint, prune and beautify the homes of eight senior citizens and veterans in Saginaw County.

Make A Difference Day, a joint effort between multiple Saginaw agencies, is celebrating its tenth year of service. In 2002, the Saginaw Community Foundation and the United Way of Saginaw County organized a focus group comprising students and staff representing eight area high schools in response to Gen. Colin Powell’s America’s Promise program.

“The students will be divided into groups to do yardwork and other exterior projects on the homes of these senior citizens and veterans in Saginaw, Saginaw Township, Buena Vista, Bridgeport and Birch Run,” said Joe Madison, a community volunteer who has helped coordinate these community service events from the beginning. “It’s a great way to engage these young adults in their community, showing them how they can come together to make a substantial difference in Saginaw County.”

Over the past decade, approximately 3,000 volunteers have serviced 87 homes of senior citizens, 14 homes of veterans, five senior citizens’ centers, six homes for Emmaus House, eight elementary schools and 20 public parks and play spaces – totaling more than 12,000 hours of service across 140 sites.

Students will arrive at the Saginaw YMCA by 8:15 a.m. After introductions and team building exercises, the students will be bussed to their assigned locations and will work from 9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The following schools have participated over the years: Arthur Hill High School, Bridgeport High School, Buena Vista High School, Carrollton High School, Chesaning High School, Frankenmuth High School, Freeland High School, Hemlock High School, Heritage High School, Mackinaw High School, Merrill High School, New Millennium Academy, Nouvel Catholic Central High School, Saginaw Arts & Sciences Academy, Saginaw High School, SISD Transition Center, St. Charles High School, Swan Valley High School and Valley Lutheran High School.

Participating agencies for the 2012 Make A Difference Day include: Bridge Center for Racial Harmony, CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region, Dawkins Culture Diversity Consulting, DC Painting & Remodeling, FORCE, Foresters, Hidden Harvest, Home Depot, HonorCorps of SVSU, Jimmy John’s, Kiwanis Clubs of Saginaw, Kroger, MSU Extension Master Gardeners, SSAPP AmeriCorps, Saginaw Community Foundation, Saginaw Intermediate School District, Target, United Way of Saginaw County and YMCA of Saginaw.

Site addresses for media:

3105 Douglass St.

Saginaw, MI 48601

1105 S 17th St.

Saginaw, MI 48601

2955 Burlington Dr.

Buena Vista Charter Township, MI 48601

If possible, please call or text Rachel at 989-941-6168 if you plan to visit these sites. We will be sure to have a Make A Difference Day representative on hand to help coordinate interviews.