Before winter hits, residents will face tasks of raking their yard and cleaning out their gutters — a vital step to ensuring spring snow melt does not cause water damage to a home or lawn. Many area seniors try to accomplish this work on their own, putting them at risk for falls and serious injury. To help, United Way of Southwest Michigan is inviting the community to give them a helping hand when prepping for winter.

On Thursday, Nov. 8, hundreds of area volunteers, working as teams, will help seniors in Berrien and Cass Counties rake and bag leaves and clean gutters as part of United Way’s eighth annual Day of Action for Seniors. The service is free of charge and serves seniors, age 60 and older, who are physically unable to perform yardwork and can’t afford to pay for services. Seniors are helped on a first-come, first-serve basis, dependent on the number of volunteers recruited.

“It’s very tough for many people in our community to winterize their homes, and this gives us one day to make a big difference,” said Anna Murphy, the president of United Way of Southwest Michigan.

In 2017, the event saw more than 730 volunteers help more than 230 senior citizens.    

Sign-ups have officially opened for seniors and volunteers interested in the event. To sign up, visit uwsm.org/rakeadifference. The deadline is Oct. 12.

Major sponsors of this event are The Home Depot Foundation – Store #2768, AEP, D.C. Cook Plant, French Paper Co., Gast Manufacturing, and the McLoughlin Family Foundation. Other sponsors are Andrews University, Chemical Bank, Hastings Mutual Insurance Co., Kemner Iott Benz, Kinexus, Lindberg/MPH, Niles Precision Company, Plante Moran, Silver Beach Pizza, United Federal Credit Union, and Vail Rubber Works.

United Way of Southwest Michigan is an organization that seeks to better their community by fighting for improved health, education and financial stability of every person in every community organizers said. To do so, the organization they harness resources from corporate, nonprofit and public partners. To learn more, visit uwsm.org.