Xactware Cares About Community

United Way’s Day of Caring 2013 was phenomenal. 

Over 1400 volunteers from 27 companies and organizations completed numerous community service projects all over Utah County. The South Franklin Community Center was fortunate to have a group of extremely talented employees from Xactware volunteer to complete various projects for the center.

The 38 member Xactware team completed a monumental amount of work in 4 short hours. Thanks to the planning of project leader Larisa, the project was completed without a hitch. The projects that Xactware completed for the community center involved landscaping, space and storage, organization, and installation. The completion of the projects has given us more space, made the community center easier to use, and certainly made it look more beautiful!

Thank you to the Xactware photographer who generously let us use his pictures!

Some volunteers were kind enough to share thoughts from their Day of Caring experience:

Doug said, “What I liked most was the way this project brought people together. There are so many things dividing people and pulling them apart… I was proud to be a part of something positive which brought people together and helped us all stand on equal ground. This activity allowed us to focus on the one thing in our community which is most important and really matters…people.”

Lauren volunteered for her first Day of Caring because “I wanted to become more involved in my community and do something for the benefit of someone else.” When asked about her favorite part of the day she said, “Besides playing in the dirt, my favorite part was seeing so many people come together to help those in our community. It’s amazing what you can get done with a few helping hands.”

Rosie shared, “I have the privilege of participating in Day of Caring each year... (Xactware has) been heavily involved for years. When I first started with Xactware I thought it was so neat that they allowed their employees to create a legacy of service and caring for the local community. I look forward to this event each year and hope to participate in it for many more years to come.”

The United Way and South Franklin Community Center staff also look forward to this event every year. When the day finally arrived, my heart started pounding with excitement as I approached the community center; there were Xactware volunteers EVERYWHERE! Wheelbarrows were rolling, power saws were churning, and feet were moving.

Here are some of the projects Xactware completed:

Grow Boxes

In the front of the building a huge mound of premium soil was transported into newly installed grow boxes. The volunteers worked so smoothly! While a small team installed the grow boxes, another group shoveled from the mound into wheelbarrows and deposited it into the already finished boxes.

Rosie from Xactware was not deterred when the rain started to pour, “...my favorite moment was when we were about 80% done with the garden boxes and it started pouring rain.  Instead of running inside we all threw on our ponchos and kept at it.  Not only did we work as a team out in the rain, I think we worked even more quickly and efficiently than before the rain had started.  We had a great time, some good laughs, and were able to finish up all of the garden boxes outside.  It brought a great sense of accomplishment and pride that we were able to help the local community.” 

Left: the Ominous clouds don't deter the smiles of these hardworking ladies.
 Center: Two volunteers unload the grow boxes for installation.
Right: Adding the finishing touches to the grow boxes as volunteers admire their job well done.

Fence and Bike Rack Installation

A dedicated group installed poles for the chain link fence. Knee deep in dirt and mud, the team navigated an array of pipes and cords to complete their project.

Another group worked to put together and install two bike racks. They picked the perfect location for the bike racks and one of the volunteers, Brett, even called in a favor from a friend to bring the right power drill to finish the installation.

Left: Two volunteers carry one of the bike racks to be installed in their final resting place.
Right: Preparation for cement-pouring is complete, next come the poles for the fence!

Shelving Installed in Closets

Closets were measured and shelves were cut with a power saw for installation into our two closets. Others stood inside empty closets mounting supports for the shelves. When the shelves were installed the closets took on a whole new aura. The beautiful white shelves deserve their own theme music to accompany the superhero-like improvement in organization and space usage.

Left: Operation shelving commences with installing supports for the shelves.
Right: The shelves are cut to custom fit our closets!

Bookshelves Mounted and Books Transported and Organized

Thanks to yet another awesome group, the library was finally finished! The team used their amazing mathematical abilities to cut perfectly aligned square openings in the bookshelves to leave the outlets open for use. Furthermore, the bookshelves were mounted to the walls to prevent any bookshelves tipping over.

What’s more, ALL of the books in the library were sorted through and organized! What we at South Franklin Community Center could not envision doing ourselves for the sheer amount of work it would require, Xactware accomplished in four hours! The bookshelves are sure to contain only the best hand-picked books for our library users.

But wait, there’s more! Another group from Xactware used their personal truck and bicep power to help us transport the books from the old community center library to the new center. These books were also organized. Can you believe it?!

Left: Books, books, and more books. Two lovely volunteers helped sort all of the books in the library.
Right: A volunteer works on freeing up those outlets by measuring and cutting holes in the bookshelves.

Thank you again.

The day was an incredible and astounding day. Xactware’s generosity and the professional quality of their work makes them our South Franklin Superheroes. This is just one example of what was accomplished on Day of Caring. Can you imagine how much work was completed across Utah County?

We thank Xactware again and again for their contribution and for making the South Franklin Community Center a better place for the kids, teenagers, and adults that use our center.

• To see more pictures from Day of Caring at the community center use this link: http://on.fb.me/14fywcO
• Find out more about Xactware at http://www.xactware.com/ or follow them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/xactware.
• For pictures from other projects across Utah County visit the United Way of Utah County Facebook page at www.facebook.com/UnitedWay. 

Thank You Laura!

We would like to extend a special thank you to Laura, who was our fearless leader of this year's Summer Camp. We asked Laura to share a bit about her experience:

I participated in the summers of 2011, 2012, and 2013, being a volunteer and then an intern/director for the South Franklin Summer Camp through United Way. It has been both challenging and rewarding. We, of course, had fun every day in different ways, but summer camp is a lot more than that! 

I’ve loved seeing the kids grow up and develop strong ethics, morals, and a sense of purpose in their lives. This summer, one child’s mother told a tutor that her child had started enjoying reading to her instead of her reading to him. I witnessed other times where the kids’ eyes would light up as they saw learning come alive through the Bean Museum animal show. Others learned they could trust volunteers to talk about different problems they were facing in their lives and had help in gaining ideas to solve them. I saw others get excited to participate in the new community center’s opening and feel a part of and responsible for their community.  

These little moments made all the trying days worth it. I have learned a lot from the children in forgiveness, caring, friendship, and many other great qualities. All of the directors, volunteers, and tutors have influenced not only the children’s lives but mine as well! As we’ve worked, learned, and played together, we have learned much from each other! That’s what being in a community is all about, right?

Thank you Laura for your dedication and for the joy you brought to the South Franklin Community Center and its members.

The Campers' Potluck

2013 marked the eighth year of the South Franklin Summer Camp. It has endured over the years with the help of the campers, volunteers, and community partners.

This year, the last day of summer camp was the Campers’ Potluck.  The campers and counselors munched on items the campers chose and brought themselves: including two different types of homemade cupcakes.  Campers and volunteers relaxed on the floor with their friends and enjoyed their mini-feast. 

We discussed campers' favorite parts of summer camp.  One camper loved the field trips, “We went to the BYU art museum. That was my favorite.”  She told me she enjoyed the variety of art at the museum. Another camper enjoyed “Getting wet” when they had a water day in the hot summer sun.  She also mentioned that they “did a lot of reading” using books from the community center library.

 

The Mini Feast

The Awards Ceremony

No camp would be complete without an awards ceremony.  Camp leader Laura handed out an award to each camper. The children giggled and waited anxiously once their name was called; what would their award be? Each award was unique, ranging from “best team player” to “most likely to be a secret agent”. 

Next, the kids had their 15 minutes of fame (okay 3 minutes of fame) with a video from Channel 17- who wanted to share their footage of the kids who were involved in the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. When I asked one camper what he thought of the new building he said, “I think it was pretty good and I can’t wait to go there. Hopefully next summer”. 

Each volunteer and camper deserves a huge THANK YOU!  We hope you enjoyed your South Franklin experience and we will continue to improve to make each year better than the last.

A special thank you: http://southfranklin.blogspot.com/2013/08/thank-you-laura.html

Helping Hands

It was a beautiful day.  Not only for the shining sun and green grass, but for the festive atmosphere and excited energy that circulated through the community center.  Inside, bookshelves were wiped down and the carpets vacuumed.  Outside on the grass in front of the building the ribbon for the ceremony was being carefully twisted and mounted on wooden poles.  The time both sped and crawled to 11 am- the official time of the ceremony. 

The children of South Franklin Community Center (SFCC) Summer Camp walked from the original community center and sat in front of the new. One of the children yelled, “look it’s the mayor!”  The children’s excitement grew as the mayor came to greet them; and while the mayor talked to the children the Provo police cruised in- hands characteristically settled on their police belts.  Some of the Boulder’s residents trickled in, observing the scene and mingling with friends.  

Laura teaches the children a cool craft while they wait for the ceremony to start. 

The conductors of the ceremony represented those community organizations that made all of this possible.  Doug Carlson from Provo City Housing Authority, Lyman Adams from Horizon Management (of the Boulders Apartment Complex), Councilman Hal Miller and Mayor John Curtis representing Provo City, and Bill Hulterstrom of United Way of Utah County all made poignant remarks.  This center was completed because of their influential decision-making and sustained efforts.  Habitat for Humanity of Utah County was also instrumental by seeing to the actual construction of the building - we thank them whole-heartedly.

Bill Hulterstrom of United Way of Utah County points toward the location of the original community center.

Mr. Adams said something that resonated; he spoke eloquently of the community center’s journey.  The South Franklin Community Center programs have been operating for a number of years, he said, they have already achieved success. This new center will allow for a continuation and expansion of that success. 

The ceremony reached its crescendo when our SFCC kids made their way up to the grand purple and gold ribbon.  Taking their kid-sized scissors in hand, they began to snip snip snip.  The mayor helped by wielding a giant pair of scissors and with one flourish, the ribbon was cut. 

The doors were opened and we all filed in to check out the new building. The shiny metallic letters reading “South Franklin Community Center” we passed under as we entered contributed to the building’s crispy clean newness.  

The children were most excited about their new library, which houses six bookshelves, one sofa, and four bean bag chairs.  When we told them they could each pick out a book to take home they shrieked and stalked straight to the shelves to pick their prized book. 

A new Barbie book and a purple balloon would make me smile too!

As I walked through, I surveyed the smiling faces in every room.  I left the building and returned to the chairs set up in front of the podium.  I sat down and took a brochure in hand and read the first page:

We are here today because of the cooperation, dedication & generosity of multiple agencies & organizations as well as the hearts & hands of 1,016 individual volunteers who have graciously donated 3,533 service hours.

This is the truth.  A true community effort requires many hearts and many hands.  We have not only built a new community center, we have become closer as a community.  As a result of generosity and hard work, our South Franklin Community Center will continue to improve our programs and work with more residents. 

There were thousands of hands who have carried us forward, and if your hand was one of those who lifted us up, we cannot express enough gratitude for your concern, caring, and commitment. 

A sign made by the kids in the South Franklin Summer Camp.

For more pictures from the ribbon cutting ceremony, visit our facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/southfranklincc.

NOTE: The new community center will not be fully operational for a couple of weeks.  If you are going to an event or program please go to the original center.

Join our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony this Tuesday, July 30, 2013 at 11 a.m.!

The days are numbered.  On July 30, 2013 the new South Franklin Community Center building will be officially complete.  It has been a long but rewarding journey, one I know has brought many community members and partners together.  

Please join us, this upcoming Tuesday in front of the new center at 750 South 700 West Provo, UT.  We will be gathered together at 11 a.m. sharp, and the ribbon cutting ceremony will last approximately 20-30 minutes.  We would love to see you there!

Let's take a glance back at our progress since the last blog post: 

The early months of 2013 covered the building's wooden beams and foundations. 

As summer neared the building took on an almost-finished look...

...but inside was still bare!

Join us this Tuesday to see the new landscaping (not-pictured) and to catch a glimpse of the beautifully finished interior of the South Franklin Community Center.