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Many offer good deeds for those in need
By MICHAEL SANDLER, Times Staff Writer
People in Largo and Dunedin are ready to roll up their sleeves and do some good. That's the message organizers from both cities say they received this week after sending out a call for volunteers on Nov. 9. More than 50 people called to say they want to take part in the Day of Good Deeds, when both cities plan to send a corps of volunteers out to spend time and perform tasks for people incapacitated because of illness, age or other circumstances. They also plan to send certified volunteers to visit shut-ins, people who have lost the ability or will to leave their homes. Organizers say the response came after a story about the philanthropic event ran in Tuesday's St. Petersburg Times. "The phone kept ringing off the hook," said Warren Ankerberg, volunteer coordinator in Largo. "I put it down, and it kept ringing again. Almost universally, every one of them read the article and called to say they wanted to volunteer." Ankerberg said he received more than 25 calls that day, including one from a certified electrician who intends to bring his wife and 13-year-old daughter to help out Nov. 9. "We've had a number of families," he said. "That's what we are looking for, that spirit. This is the first year we've done it, and we believe it will catch on." Jan Sebald, the project coordinator in Dunedin, received about the same number of calls, including one from Neil DePaul, 32, who read about the event in the article. "Generally the news is negative," DePaul, a former Clearwater police officer, said. "That's just life. But reading that article, it brought a light of hope. You drive around on U.S. 19, and you would think that nobody thinks of others." DePaul is handy with tools and wouldn't mind doing some home repairs for someone who is not. But he said he would do whatever organizers ask of him. "I could fix a door that doesn't close well or a lock -- we will see," he said. "I said: Sign me up for whatever. I think it's a great opportunity." Though they have received plenty of calls from volunteers, organizers have gotten few calls asking for assistance. Sebald received four, and Ankerberg said he got fewer than that. They hope people in the community won't feel ashamed to call and ask for help. If you know someone in need, or wish to volunteer, contact Ankerberg in Largo at 518-3133, or Sebald in Dunedin at 298-3213. -- Michael Sandler can be reached at 445-4174 or sandler@sptimes.com .
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From the Times North Pinellas desks Editorial Letters |
