One of the coolest, most ambitious initiatives around returns to Richmond for the second year on Saturday, October 17.
The Second Annual HandsOn Day crams 5,000 volunteer hours into one Saturday morning, and in the process transforms some swaths of our city long in need of a little TLC. It's not too late to volunteer a slice of your Saturday to a good cause.
The 45 projects are targeted toward area nonprofits, schools and parks. Volunteers will get their hands dirty building trails, painting murals, repairing homes, feeding the hungry and taking care of animals.
One of the coolest events on the docket is an extreme school makeover at Huguenot High School on Forest Hill Avenue (that's South of the James, people). Altria has donated a boatload of materials to paint six murals, build a new courtyard and generally overhaul the school, but the project calls for 300 volunteers to do all the heavy lifting required by this ambitious initiative.
In the mood for something a bit less intense? How about joining the Friends of Paradise Park or volunteering for the Visual Arts Center's one block cleanup? Feeling random? Sign up as a HandsOn Hero -- they'll assign you the project that lines up with your talents.
I'll be hanging out at Holton Elementary School in Richmond's Northside, working as a team captain on a playground and school yard clean-up project (and repainting a gigantic mural of the United States).
If you're interested in being part of one of the largest community spruce-up projects in Central Virginia, head over to Hands On Richmond and register to volunteer for HandsOn Day.
