The United Way of Cayuga County’s 5th Annual Day of Caring drew its largest crowd yet, with 371 volunteers completing 19 projects across the county on August 7.
The day began with a breakfast rally at State Street Plaza, where new Executive Director Lisa Kaminski highlighted the event’s value. “The average value of volunteer time is $34.79 per hour,” Kaminski said. “Collectively, our volunteers are donating more than $50,000 of their time tackling projects across Cayuga County.” Tasks ranged from park cleanups and painting to building ramps, organizing books, and assembling senior bags.
This year also featured a youth art contest for the volunteer t-shirt design. The winning artwork by Arden, 10, of the Auburn Enlarged School District appeared on the front, with runner-up designs from Alejandra, 10, and Vincent, 11, featured on the back. All three received shirts and art supplies.
Projects were hosted by a range of organizations including ARISE, Mozaic, the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Unity House, and the American Red Cross, which held a blood drive yielding 26 donations — five from new donors.
The event also kicked off United Way’s 8th Annual Countywide Personal Care Drive, aiming to collect 3,000 hygiene items by October 13 for local food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters. Volunteers donated 150 items at the rally, and 21 organizations have signed on to host collection drives.
Major sponsors included Cayuga Lake National Bank, Wegmans, Nucor Steel, and several local businesses. The next Day of Caring is set for August 6, 2026.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].