Giving back

Volunteers wanted for The Big Event

Gathering at the fountain in downtown Conway as they get ready for The Big Event, set for Oct. 16 and 17, are Therese Pollard, from left, events planner for the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce; Kim Williams, director of the Conway Downtown Partnership; Rachel Shaw, director of destination marketing for the Conway Convention & Visitors Bureau; and Wayne Cox, a volunteer. The Big Event will bring 500-plus volunteers together to clean up and beautify downtown Conway, as well as parks and schools throughout the city. People may sign up for projects at www.VolunteerConway.org.
Gathering at the fountain in downtown Conway as they get ready for The Big Event, set for Oct. 16 and 17, are Therese Pollard, from left, events planner for the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce; Kim Williams, director of the Conway Downtown Partnership; Rachel Shaw, director of destination marketing for the Conway Convention & Visitors Bureau; and Wayne Cox, a volunteer. The Big Event will bring 500-plus volunteers together to clean up and beautify downtown Conway, as well as parks and schools throughout the city. People may sign up for projects at www.VolunteerConway.org.

Anyone who has a desire to plant daffodil bulbs, repair a wrought-iron fence, shape shrubs or even hand out hot dogs is asked to sign up as a volunteer for The Big Event in Conway.

The fifth-annual cleanup will be held Oct. 16 and 17. It’s sponsored by Volunteer Conway, a group designed to help undertake projects for nonprofit organizations that need extra hands.

At least 500 volunteers are needed to work on projects, said Kim Williams, director of the Conway Downtown Partnership. Although volunteers have started signing up, she said, an additional 300-plus are needed.

“The more, the merrier,” she said. “If we get more, we’ll add more projects.”

Paul Lockhart of Conway, one of the group’s founders, said he plans to start working downtown and then fill in where needed.

“This is the fifth, so it’s kind of a big deal for us,” he said. “Every year, it’s gotten bigger.”

The Big Event started in 2011 because several companies wanted more opportunities for their employees to volunteer, Williams said.

“We’re doing things a little different this year,” Williams said.

Instead of starting Friday morning, volunteers will gather at noon at The Ministry Center on Harkrider Street for a hot-dog lunch (and yes, volunteers are needed to set up, serve and clean up) before fanning out into the city. They will work on projects from 1-5 p.m. On Saturday, volunteers will work from 9 a.m. to noon.

“All we ask the folks to do is check the website; it gives you a list of things to bring,” such as gloves or paintbrushes, Williams said. Volunteers should wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

The website is www.VolunteerConway.org.

Volunteers have started signing up, and some projects are full, including cleanup of the Robinson Cemetery.

Slots are available for several schools in Conway to help weed flower beds and improve playgrounds; to replace the summer color with fall flowers in the terra-cotta pots in downtown Conway; and to plant daffodils at the Faulkner County Courthouse and Laurel Park. Although the Master Gardeners take care of landscaping for the courthouse, “there are so many bulbs to plant. … It takes a lot more people,” Williams said.

New projects include sorting and organizing clothing and toys for The CALL — Children of Arkansas Loved for a Lifetime. The CALL works with local churches to foster children. Another addition is painting a wrought-iron fence at Hendrix College, setting up for a fundraiser at The Ministry Center, and cleaning the beach and park area at Beaverfork Lake.

Lockhart said since the first event in 2011, more than 5,500 volunteer hours have been logged, and that includes 1,100 unique volunteers.

“We get tons of feedback on our website, on our social media,” he said. “The best feedback is really from the participants, even more than the people we help. [The

volunteers] love this event. It’s kind of a team-building event for them. Especially Friday, we’ll see people go out for dinner. They feel like they’ve done something great and given back to the community. We also hear from nonprofits and schools that they appreciate the work we do.”

The Big Event is incorporating as a nonprofit organization, Lockhart said.

“The community’s known for its caring and love of volunteering, and I think this is the largest event,” he said, “and I think it really showcases the spirit of community when you can get 500 people out among the two days helping their neighbors.”

Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.

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