NPUW Day of Caring Beautifies Community

By now, the North Penn School District's United Way building representatives are getting pretty good at painting.

Last year, they beautified the facilities and grounds of the during the North Penn United Way Day of Caring.

On Wednesday, they painted an office at the in Lansdale during this year's Day of Caring event.

When they were through with that, they took up organization of the various academic prizes and Stuff the Bus backpacks at the club.

“We’ve painted, we’ve cleaned, we’ve organized, we’ve thrown some stuff out … we’ve done anything they need us to do today,” said Erin Crew, use of school facilities for North Penn School District. “They definitely needed the help. It’s good that we were able to come.”

Crew said the volunteer effort at the boys and girls club was assigned to the district.

It couldn’t have been more of a perfect fit.

“A lot of the kids in our district come here,” Crew said. “We were able to come see and get a little better feeling of what they are doing here.”

Katie Lloyd, communications specialist for North Penn and an outpatient mental health therapist for Northwestern Human Services in Lansdale, said both the district and its superintendent Curt Dietrich feel it is important to be part of the community that is served by the district. Dietrich is on the board of directors of the North Penn United Way.

“A lot of our kids, as well as our staff members and families, use the facilities that the United Way helps,” she said.

The United Way, she said, is the only charity for which the district raises money.

“Schools can do other fundraisers, but as a district, this is the only charity we do fundraising for, unless there is something like a hurricane or natural disaster effort,” Lloyd said.

By the end of the day Wednesday, Crew and crew – Montgomery Elementary first grade teacher Jill Margolis, sixth grade teacher Michele Swider, Knapp fifth grade teacher Kelli Albertson and Bridle Path Elementary physical education teacher Rhonda Reed – were rearranging and organizing a closet housing backpacks from the Stuff the Bus program.

“The boys and girls club get them, and they are prepared with paper, pens, crayons, anything you need for school,” Crew said. “They are pretty awesome backpacks.”

Lloyd was excited to organize, and even gain entrance to, the club’s prize room. Taped to the door is a sign: Do Not Enter.

“I was eyeing that up the whole day. It’s the only thing we didn’t see,” Lloyd said. “When they opened the door for us to clean it out and organize it, you see that it’s more of a store feeling when the kids go in there.”

While North Penn was wrapping up their volunteerism, employees from Illinois Tool Works, located on Stump Road in Montgomeryville, were just getting started at

A few employees were lucky enough to sit an an air-conditioned room and tasked with refilling and recycling old files and paperwork. Other employees were tasked with cleaning out a small storage room on the third floor.

now has cassaroles a-plenty thanks to

Employees spent the day making and cooking 45 casseroles for Manna’s clientele.

“I don’t know where we are going to put it all,” joked volunteer Harry McGinnis.