Join Hands Day set for June 16
CLEVELAND -- The UTU/UTUIA is proud to join together with the 88 other not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies comprising the National Fraternal Congress of America to sponsor "Join Hands Day," a nationwide day of volunteerism, learning and fun.

Join Hands Day, set for Saturday, June 16, gives members a chance to mobilize to make life better for those less fortunate, to work and learn with young adults, and to prove again that UTU/UTUIA members are the greatest volunteers in the world.

Participation can take any number of forms, from cleaning streets or helping seniors, to repairing playground equipment, painting over graffiti, or removing trash from streams. The important thing is to do something, and tell us about it! Photos and stories about your projects could appear in a future edition of the UTU News to let others know how you participated to make Join Hands Day a success.

Send your project ideas, on the form included in the print edition of this month's issue of the UTU News, to: Sandra J. Kranick, Fraternal Coordinator, UTU/UTUIA, 14600 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44107. For more information, contact Kranick at (216) 228-9400, ext. 203.

"I was extremely pleased with the success and level of participation on the part of UTU/UTUIA members last year," Kranick remarked, noting that some 215 adults and 52 children associated with the UTU/UTUIA took part in events. "I know we can accomplish even more this year."

No project is too small, and the possibilities are as unlimited as your imagination. Ideas to consider: Homelessness or poverty (prepare and distribute sandwiches, or organize a food drive); environmental concerns (clean a park, or volunteer at a recycling center); health issues (deliver meals to the homebound, or visit hospital patients); schools and education (hold a book drive for school libraries, or paint a mural on school walls), and humane animal treatment (walk dogs at an animal shelter).

Young people and adults working together as volunteers to help their communities, and themselves. That is the essence of Join Hands Day.

"The goal of Join Hands Day is to help change how adults and young people understand each other and get along," Kranick said. "It is a way to help change the way Americans think and act across generations."

"Young people love the opportunity to take leadership roles, to learn how to operate power tools, to be spokespersons on radio and television. They were surprised at how nice and helpful adults were to work with, and adults enjoyed showing teenagers how to paint, plant and fix, all for the benefit of the community."

No project is too large or too small. You may join with other UTU/UTUIA members in your area to accomplish much more.

Please plan to participate in Join Hands Day by sending in a planning form before April 15, 2001.

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