Action Team Captains from Maine Fall into Service

This month, Action Team Captains from Brunswick, Me., made their annual trip via ferry to Peaks Island, to spruce up one of Volunteers of America’s affordable senior housing facilities.

Despite strong winds and crisp temperatures, Captains boarded the ferry that afternoon after school, and took the 20-minute trip to Fay Garman House, where they then broke off into groups to assist with yard work, organizing the library and children’s center and cleaning up outside the elementary school.

From raking leaves to pulling weeds and planting fall flowers, the Captains worked as a team to help with the much-needed yard work. The school’s principal commended the high school volunteers’ efforts in tidying up the yard, as the Captains left the island with the grounds prepared for winter.

“It was such a great way to start the year with our Peaks Island clean up. We had the most ever with 32 kids,” senior Emily Black said.

Her classmate Jenna Bailey added, “We felt good about making the playground safer for the children and also helping at the elderly housing.”

Jenna, Emily and other classmates put together a video of the event.

The following week the same Action Team Captains turned their attention to another fall-centric project, this time shifting indoors to assist at Volunteers of America’s Westrum house, where they painted pumpkins with the senior residents.

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The Fay Garman House is named in honor of Fay Garman, a Peaks legend who wanted to bring affordable housing to the island. It features gardening opportunities, a patio with grill, available on-site salon services, a variety of social and educational activities, and a nearby health center. For more information please visit  http://www.voa.org/housing_properties/fay-garman-house

Located in Topsham, Maine Volunteers of America’s Westrum House honors the retired Sheriff Mark Westrum for his dedication and service to area seniors. This property provides 27-units of high quality, affordable housing for low-income seniors. For more information please visit http://www.voa.org/housing_properties/westrum-house

You can check out photos from both of these events by visiting http://playerstrust.org/action-team/gallery/

For more information on the Action Team program or to #JoinOurTeam please visit www.actionteam.org.