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Volunteer Voices

Door County Girl Scouts helping to “Make A Difference.”

Over the past months, I have seen a county transformed into shades of orange to show support for a 13-year-old boy named Bo Johnson. Yet his wish was to have his spirit live on by “paying it forward” and “making a difference.”

On Saturday, October 27, we’ll do just that as we commemorate “Make a Difference Day.” For the past 22 years, people have been donating food, cleaning up parks and helping out their neighbors as a way to truly make a difference in our communities.

The Door County “Make a Difference Day” team is asking for your help as they collect personal care products for our neighbors right here at home. Items such as laundry detergent, bleach, soap, and personal hygiene items will be collected and given to local agencies to distribute throughout Door County. Paula Reichel and daughter Caitie, co-chairpersons of the Door County Make A Difference Day campaign, encourage everyone to donate what they can to this cause.

“The need is great. People are struggling and even though this is a National Day of Service, I think it’s important that everyone know that everything collected is kept local,” said Paula. “We collect all kinds of personal care items, sort them and then distribute them to non-profit agencies in Door County so that they can get them to the people they help.”

The Make A Difference Day drive has been based out of Bay View Lutheran Church, 340 W. Maple in Sturgeon Bay, and is also a drop off location. Other drop off locations include: Piggly Wiggly, Sister Bay; Main Street Market, Egg Harbor; the Door County Advocate, Sturgeon Bay City Hall, Corpus Christi Church, Hainesville Lutheran Church, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, First Baptist Church (all in Sturgeon Bay); and Marchant’s Foods, Brussels. Donations will be accepted through October 25.

But don’t think that this is day is just for adults! Kids are also getting involved as local Sturgeon Bay Schools will be collecting items between October 22 – 25. The Sunrise School Ambassadors, a group of third through fifth graders selected to work on community service projects, will be doing posters and decorating collection boxes for the school locations. After that, local Girl Scout troops will assist in sorting the collected items and boxing them up for delivery.

“Make A Difference Day” is truly a community effort. We know what a community can do when it comes together with one purpose in mind. Help to keep Bo’s wish alive by making a difference EVERY day.

For information on Make A Difference Day or if you would like to make a monetary donation so that items may be purchased on your behalf, please contact Paula Reichel at 920.746.7659.

For additional volunteer opportunities, contact the Volunteer Center at 920.746.7704 or visit our website at http://www.volunteerdoorcounty.com.