BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Organizers hope for more than a thousand volunteers throughout the area during Clarkston Davisburg Community Impact Weekend, Nov. 4-5.
“A sea of yellow shirts,” said the Rev. Jonathan Heierman, pastor of Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Impact Weekend, organized twice a year, includes projects for seniors, low-income families, homeless, hungry, special needs, churches, schools and other non-profit groups.
Many projects are well suited for teens, including rake-and-run yard work for local seniors.
“So many seniors need help. When we’re done, they’re so happy and relieved,” said Deborah Robitaille, director of administration at Calvary. “That’s where we see the most tears. They can’t afford to hire someone. It’s an enormous gift.”
The community effort started in 2014 with volunteer efforts by Calvary and Clarkston Community Church, with 30 projects that fall.
Last spring, well over 1,000 volunteers completed 61 projects all over the area.
“It’s become so much bigger, with churches, civic organizations, schools, businesses, individuals, all aspects of the community,” Heierman said. “The neat thing about this is so many people do so many wonderful things in this community.”
They were building a handicap ramp for a home in Davisburg when the home owner brought out coffee and asked, “who are you people,” Robitaille remembered.
“I said, ‘we are the church,’ not just Calvary, people from everywhere,” she said. “He was so sweet. He just thought Habitat for Humanity would be there.”
They’re hoping for 1,200-1,500 volunteers for the weekend.
“We need more than 1,000 people to pull off all the projects in time. We hope for really good weather,” Heierman said.
For more information or to register, go to www.impact-weekend.org.