STAFF at Pramerica are getting ready for their company’s Global Volunteer Day this Saturday – with more than a dozen events planned to help charities.
“After Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami in March, I personally witnessed the transformative power of volunteerism and community service. Immediately following the disaster, our employees around the globe mobilized.” said Prudential (PFI) boss John Strangfeld, the parent company of the Letterkenny organisation.
“In Japan, employees showed tremendous courage and compassion. Amidst their own hardships and personal losses, they found ways to check on their clients’ safety and see how they could help. Employees outside of the affected areas of Japan also responded with a generosity of support — seeking opportunities to assist in any way possible. These collaborative efforts embodied the ideals of service, solidarity, and the unifying belief that together we can make the world better.”
PFI introduced Global Volunteer Day in October 1995 to celebrate employees’ volunteer activities. That year, more than 5,000 PFI employees and their families and friends worked on 100 volunteer projects in the United States and Japan. Last year, more than 25,000 people participated in 800 Global Volunteer Day projects in the United States, Ireland and eight other countries where PFI has a business presence.
“Every year we marvel at the selfless efforts of hundreds of Pramerica employees who are so committed to giving back to the community through volunteer service with community-based organizations,” said Henry McGarvey, managing director of Pramerica Systems Ireland. “Global Volunteer Day is a special opportunity to recognise and honour their commitment to service.”
Projects conducted on Global Volunteer Day include beautifying local parks, cleaning up school playgrounds, building homes, preparing food for the needy, caring for animals at a local shelter, holding a car wash for charity, mentoring children and many other activities.
This Saturday an estimated 400 Pramerica employees, family members and friends will participate in the following:
— A Fun Kids’ Day and beach clean-up to benefit the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Lisfannon Beach in Fahan/Buncrana.
— A clean-up of the Football Pitch area at Ballyraine Football Club, including painting storage facilities and goal posts and other activities. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. in Letterkenny
— Sorting various items received by De Ja Vu, a subsidiary of St. Vincent De Paul. 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Lower Main Street in Letterkenny.
— Painting at the Rathmullan Day Care Centre. 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., 20 Carraigh Craobh in Letterkenny.
— A tidy-up of the gardens and grounds of Donegal Hospice, Knocknamona. 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. in Letterkenny.
— Special Olympics “ROCKS,” a fun day of activities at the Northwest Special Olympics Northwest Special Olympics for athletes and their families. Includes games, karaoke, face painting and art. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., St Conal’s Hall, Town Park, Letterkeny.
— Charity walk to raise funds for the Letterkenny Autism Family Support Group. 11:00 a.m. – 4 p.m., Ards Forest, Creeslough.
— 12K Foyle Tri Bridge Fun Walk/Run to raise money to help Foyle Search & Rescue build an extension to their headquarters. Begins at 11 a.m. at Sainsbury’s Car Park in Derry.
— A car wash to help Rashenny National School purchase equipment for a new classroom it is building. 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Rashenny National School, Clonmany.
— Helping the Tidy Town Group paint rooms in the Ramelton Town Hall and fences outside the building. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Town Hall, Castle St., Ramelton.
In addition, several other volunteers will spend Friday night cooking meals that will be delivered the next day to local residents who ordered boxed lunches to help OXFAM Ireland raise money to ease the East African food crisis.
On Sunday, several Pramerica volunteers will take part in a benefit walk for the Irish Seal Sanctuary, a wild life charity dedicated protecting rescued marine wildlife. It will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., beginning at the forest entrance of the sanctuary near the bridge outside Gweedore, to Money Beg along Lough Nacung, and ending at the Dunlewey Centre, Co Donegal.
And on the following Saturday, 8 October, volunteers will participate in two additional Global Volunteer projects. From 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. that day, they will pack bags at New Dunnes Stores in the Forte Shopping Centre in Letterkenny to raise money to help Scoil Mhuire, Ramelton buy technical equipment such as computers, overhead projectors, photocopiers and whiteboards; and at the same time, other volunteers will paint and re-claim an overgrown car park area at Glenmornan Community Center at Glenmornan, Artigarvan, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, Artigarvan.
Follow the happenings of this year’s event on Twitter by searching for #PruGVD2011.
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