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Proceeds from Saturday's event will benefit Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity, which builds affordable homes for those in need.
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Kloke-Mayflower Co. will offer tethered hot-air-balloon rides at Saturday's Make a Difference Day event at Old Mill Park in Fredericksburg. |
By Kay Boatner
Make a Difference Day is a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. In honor of the occasion, The Free Lance-Star Cos. has planned a fun-filled event this Saturday at Old Mill Park to benefit Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity.
This year's actual Make A Difference Day will take place next Saturday, Oct. 27.
Organizers put this weekend's event together to encourage community members to give back to their city through volunteerism.
"It was a perfect opportunity to fundraise and to raise awareness for a worthy organization," said Free Lance-Star marketing director Deneal Helms. "We encourage everyone to find a way to make a difference in their communities, and this is a perfect way to start."
Created by USA Weekend magazine, Make a Difference Day is celebrated annually on the fourth Saturday in October. It is the largest national day dedicated to helping others. Thousands of towns have participated throughout the 16 years the event has been held; anyone is eligible to get involved.
Fredericksburg companies The Free Lance-Star, Kloke-Mayflower, Minnieland and JumpWorks have chosen to celebrate the occasion by being part of Saturday's event. Proceeds will benefit Habitat.
In addition to a variety of live music and food provided by vendors such as Starbucks and Sweet Hannah's Fudge Shoppe, there will be plenty of activities for the kids, including puppet and magic shows, karate and gymnastics demonstrations, games and races, pumpkin painting and inflatables.
But one activity might well rise above all others: hot-air-balloon rides.
A giant balloon will fly 300 feet into the air, but will remain tethered for safety reasons. Rides will be available from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., and again from 5 to 7 p.m., weather permitting. Times are approximate because wind is a factor.
Dean Cornish, national account executive for Kloke-Mayflower, helped secure the balloon for the day.
"We requested the balloon because we knew it would be a big draw for the crowd," Cornish said. "It maximizes our company's exposure and it helps the community--that's a win for everyone involved."
Among the many prizes being raffled off throughout the day will be a hot-air- balloon ride for two. The ride, which is valued at about $500, will take off Sunday at Lee's Hill Golf Course in Spotsylvania County.
"It's a good thing to win," Cornish said. "I'm sure it will be a great time for the two lucky people who get it."
Other items to be raffled include autographed Redskins and NASCAR items and a doll house.
Activities presented by Habitat on Saturday will include a bird-feeder build and a house-drawing contest for kids.
"We have some really great things planned for everyone," said GFHFH executive director Bruce Seger. "And prizes--who doesn't love prizes?"
Attendees will also be encouraged to sign interior walls for use in future Habitat homes.
"Having community members sign these walls before passing them on to another community member [for a house] to live in seemed an appropriate thing to do for the day," Seger said.
He said that last year, Habitat built a house for Katrina victims on Make a Difference Day, but that was just a coincidence.
"Now we want to consciously celebrate the day," he said.
The group will do exactly that on
"We would love for people to come out and help," Seger said. "That's the point of the day, after all."
He's looking forward to the early Make a Difference Day celebration at Old Mill Park, too.
"We're going to have lots of fun and be helping people at the same time," he said. "What could be better than that?"
Kay Boatner: 540/374-5000, ext. 5617| Make a Difference Day will take place Saturday, Oct. 27. You can make a difference, too!
Grab a trash bag and help clean up a local park. Bring your family and friends or make it a solo project.
Visit local hospitals to cheer up the sick. Bring balloons or flowers as a special treat. Clean out your basement or attic and donate unwanted items. Donate groceries to the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank at 3631 Lee Hill Drive in Spotsylvania's Lee Hill Industrial Park. Operating hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.- Consult local shelters to find out what's on their wish lists: They may want that old vacuum cleaner you never got rid of. Help clean up at the Rappahannock River on Saturday, Oct. 27, at Sign your child up for the University of Mary Washington's Trick-or-Treat Make a Difference Day event on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2-5:30 p.m., in the Woodard Campus Center. The free event for ages 2 to 12 will include trick-or-treating in residence hall lobbies, plus games and service projects, including making place mats for a senior center, painting pumpkins for Hope House and writing letters to Marines. For details, call 540/654-1802. |
| What: Make a Difference Day event to celebrate the National Day of Doing Good
Where: Old Mill Park, Caroline Street (near Fall Hill Avenue), Fredericksburg
Parking: Overflow parking available at the Medicorp parking lot at 2300 Fall Hill Ave. and Central Station at 1917 Princess Anne St. When: Saturday, Oct. 20, 11-11:45 a.m.: Flea Bitten Dirt Band Noon-12:45 p.m.: ¡Carlos, I'm Pregnant! 1-1:45 p.m.; Tereu Tereu 2-2:45 p.m.: Junk Science 3-3:45 p.m.: Rocky's Revival 4-4:45 p.m.: Crown Vic 5-5:45 p.m.: Adopted 6-6:45 p.m.: 816 Info: Call GFHFH at 540/ |
| Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity
Is completing its 11th home in the area.
Is building three homes this fall (two in King George County and one in Spotsylvania County). Built and shipped the walls for houses constructed in Louisiana. Collected more than 5,600 pounds of aluminum cans for recycling last year. Recycling your aluminum cans with Habitat for Humanity helps build more homes in the Fredericksburg area. Has a "senior" building day during the week so that retirees can help on days other than Saturdays. Has a resale store that offers bargains on building materials, appliances, furniture and lighting. The store will pick up donations. Before you send a usable appliance, piece of furniture or building item to the dump, consider donating it to Habitat for Humanity. It will protect the environment and help Habitat build more homes in the area. Takes car donations. You can donate your car to Habitat for Humanity by going to the "Cars for Homes" section of the Web site at fredhab.org. Requires a Habitat homeowner to volunteer 500 hours before moving into his new home. Offers zero-percent-interest mortgages to Habitat families. Welcomes help from even unskilled workers. It's a good learning experience for all ages. |
