North Olmsted collaborates with Wal-mart for day of service
By Jon Wysochanski
North Olmsted
Published Sept. 1, 2010

Sept. 11 is now a National Day of Service, and this year, North Olmsted has collaborated with Wal-mart to contribute by painting fire hydrants throughout the city on that day.

According to the mayor’s assistant, Jane Leaver, a resident approached the mayor’s office to inquire about organizing volunteers to paint fire hydrants earlier in the year.

“As we began our initial work on that I was approached by representatives from Wal-mart saying they had a day of service planned,” said Leaver.

She said that the representatives asked her if the city would like to pair up on any projects for the day of service, and the gesture fit perfectly with the project the city already had in mind.

Wal-mart is giving the city a grant in the amount of $3,100 for supplies, miscellaneous expenses and T-shirts for volunteers. The city of North Olmsted will supply the paint and materials needed for the painting project. Any money that is left over after the event will be donated to the North Olmsted Food Pantry.

According to the Web site www.serviceandremembranceday.org, this year’s day of service is expected to be the largest in United States history. Volunteers will contribute in order to pay tribute to our men and women in the armed forces and our service employees throughout the city, while remembering the terrorist attacks of 2001.

North Olmsted residents can visit www.serviceandremembranceday.org in order to sign up for the event. The city hopes that around 400 people will sign up.

Volunteers will meet at the Wal-mart Subway in North Olmsted at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday Sept. 11 in order to get their paint and supplies. Groups will then make their ways to residential areas and paint the hydrants along the streets in neighborhoods throughout the city. The first 200 residents will receive a free T-shirt for participating in the event.

Volunteers are being asked to bring a non-perishable food item when they arrive at Wal-mart to donate to the food pantry.

Residents will not be expected to paint hydrants along high traffic roads because of safety concerns, and seasonal city employees will take care of the hydrants in such areas.

Organizers hope that volunteer groups will finish by noon, and when they do, they are invited to attend a celebration at the North Olmsted Recreation Center immediately following the hydrant painting. Music and food provided by local sponsors will be dished out and volunteers will be able to relax and enjoy themselves.

David Justice, an author and motivational speaker who grew up in North Olmsted and now lives in Maumee, Ohio, and also serves as a coordinator of the event, said that the event is a great opportunity to recognize our service members and help out the city.

“It will be a lot of fun and a great way for the whole family to help out and be a part of a big project,” said Justice.

Leaver believes the event is a perfect way to get involved, even for those who do not have much time.

“It’s just a couple hours out of a Saturday morning and everyone should be completely done and on their way by one o’clock,” said Leaver. “It is the perfect project to remember Sept. 11.”

Mayor Kevin Kennedy fully supports the event and is pleased that Wal-mart came through for the city of North Olmsted.

“We’re absolutely thrilled that we have a great corporate sponsor in Wal-mart, who donated in order to help us finish up the hydrants,” said Kennedy.

Those interested in volunteering can visit www.serviceandremembranceday.org, or pre-register at Wal-mart at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday Sept. 11.

On the Web:

• www.serviceandremembranceday.org