WAYNE COUNTY, N.C. – A wave of community spirit swept through Wayne County last week as 135 volunteers donated 306 hours of their time during the annual Day of Action, a United Way initiative that mobilized residents to tackle local improvement projects across the region.
The coordinated effort, which culminated on June 20, saw volunteers transform public spaces, support local organizations, and strengthen community bonds through hands-on service projects spanning multiple locations throughout the county.
Breathing New Life into Community Spaces
Volunteers made their mark across Wayne County’s landscape, revitalizing Music Alley downtown and enhancing outdoor spaces at the Wayne County Public Library, 4 Day Movement’s The PORTAL, and Wayne Uplift’s Serenity Garden. The group also organized storage facilities for the Special Olympics of Wayne County and established a new tutoring site in Mount Olive.
Additional projects included cleaning headstones at Willowdale Cemetery, painting the Veterans Wing at The PORTAL, and decorating river rocks to beautify the Dinosaur Garden pathway at the miniature train park.
“Our hearts are full. Full of gratitude, full of purpose, and full of faith in what a community can accomplish when we come together with love, and this is just the beginning,” said Terri Bradley, project leader for the Day of Action. “New friendships were formed, contact info exchanged, and dreams for future collaborations set in motion.”
Corporate and Community Partnerships Drive Success
The initiative garnered significant support from local businesses and organizations, with employee volunteer teams from Crawford-Henderson Insurance, Williams & Ashford Funeral Directors and Cremations, and the 4th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base participating in various community projects.
Several businesses hosted kit assembly events at their workplaces throughout the week. Teams from UNC Health Wayne, NC Community Federal Credit Union, Seymour Funeral Home and Cremation Services, and LBA Hospitality gathered to assemble essential supplies for local families.
The week’s efforts resulted in the creation of more than 700 kits, including hygiene kits, summer fun kits for students, and functional literacy kits for parents. These supplies supported the pilot Summer Sprouts lunch program led by Greater Work International.
Young Leaders Make Their Mark
Among the week’s most inspiring moments was the initiative taken by six-year-old Lilly, a Goldsboro resident who organized her own Summer Fun Kit assembly event. Working alongside friends, Lilly assembled 50 kits for other children in the community.
“I’m really proud of Lilly for wanting to get involved and give back—and am so grateful United Way provided her an opportunity to do that,” said Kimberly Fazio, Lilly’s mother. “It was so special watching Lilly and her friends work together to pack the summer fun kits for other kids in our community.”
Community Investment Powers Initiative
The Day of Action received generous support from community-minded businesses and organizations, including Melissa Throm – State Farm Agent, UNC Health Wayne, LBA Hospitality, T.A. Loving, Southern Bank, Atlantic Casualty Insurance, First Baptist Church, Goldsboro Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Stovall Dental, Hinnant Family Dentistry, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority – Epsilon Phi Omega Chapter.
Looking Forward
The success of this year’s Day of Action demonstrates the strength of Wayne County’s collaborative spirit and sets the stage for continued community engagement throughout the year.
United Way of Wayne County serves as a local nonprofit organization dedicated to improving residents’ lives by addressing critical needs through four focus areas: Education, Health & Wellness, Financial Stability, and Community Responsiveness. The organization also funds 2-1-1 for Wayne County, a free, confidential, and multilingual helpline.
Community members interested in future volunteer opportunities can visit www.unitedwayne.org/volunteer-wayne or contact [email protected] for more information.
