Volunteers: Painting, planting and baking for renewal For release: July 18, 2007 About 35 volunteers from the Bristol-Myers Squibb pharmaceutical firm donated their time for Community Renewal while in Shreveport for a regional conference. The sales representatives came from five states and they wanted to do more than attend meetings. "Anyone can spend money in a town, but giving your personal time is a lot more valuable," said Scott Seal of Knoxville, Tenn. "It just takes one house at a time and then you have a revitalized neighborhood." The group split into three teams for Community Renewal. One group painted the Grace House, a home used to house various guests, including staff members of The Fuller Center for Housing and student interns. A second group planted flowers and did other yard work at a Highland neighborhood Friendship House. And the third team joined some local teens at the Barksdale Annex Friendship House to bake cookies that are going to families in the neighborhood. "It's very rewarding to give back and help improve the lives of others," said Tay Murray of Jackson, Tenn. "This really means something. We try to set an example and we hope other people will follow." Business, church, civic and other groups are also encouraged to donate their time in our communities. Contact Lynn Bryan, coordinator of volunteers at SBCR, at (318) 425-3222 or at lynnbryan@sbcr.us. Or click on the Volunteers section of the Community Renewal web site. Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal is a nonprofit effort to restore safe and healthy communities through caring relationships. Founded in 1994, SBCR reaches at-risk youth through Friendship Houses built in impoverished neighborhoods, strengthens education through the Adult Renewal Academy, partners with The Fuller Center for Housing and connects caring partners who turn their neighborhoods into safe havens of friendship and support. For more information, go to www.sbcr.us. Contact: David Westerfield, director of communications
(318) 425-3222
davidwesterfield@sbcr.us |
