WARREN - Helping those in need is a selfless practice requiring sacrifice of time, labor and, often times, money. The rewards of these charitable acts are touching the lives of others and knowing your help is appreciated.
Also, there is food.
The Tribune Chronicle will host the Make a Difference Day Volunteer Picnic from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Warren Community Amphitheatre, and all volunteers are invited for food, drinks and entertainment.
Make A Difference Day is a national day of volunteerism held the fourth Saturday October and sponsored locally by the Tribune Chronicle and nationally by USA Weekend Magazine.
"We generally feed 300 to 400 people every year depending on the weather," picnic coordinator Shellie Bartoloni said. "We do this free of charge for the volunteers as our expression of appreciation for what they do."
Many local businesses help sponsor the event each year, and this year's effort will be no different.
"We have most of the commitments that we had last year donating again," Bartoloni said. "We have a new donation of six dozen cupcakes from The Cake Boutique this year."
To donate for this year's picnic or if an individual would like to offer much needed paper plates, cups or utensils, contact Bartoloni at 330-841-1600, Ext. 623.
Warren native Damian Knapp of the band Testify will provide entertainment, performing a tribute to blues guitar great Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Volunteers also can wear their 2012 Make a Difference Day T-shirts.
"Every year we do a new design," Sue Shafer, Trumbull County Make A Difference Day coordinator, explained.
T-shirts are $10 each and are available in the Tribune Chronicle lobby. Other arrangements may also be made for acquiring a T-shirt by contacting Shafer at 330-841-1696. Any shirts not sold in advance will be available at the Make a Difference Day Volunteer Picnic.
Proceeds for the shirts go to the Tribune Chronicle's Make a Difference Day project fund.
In 2003, the first year projects were coordinated by the Tribune Chronicle, USA Weekend Magazine honored Trumbull County Make A Difference Day with a $10,000 award for being one of the 10 best projects in the United States that year.
In 2004, Make A Difference Day Ohio chose the event as one of the 10 best projects in Ohio. The Associated Press honored the Tribune Chronicle for Make A Difference Day in 2005 as the best community service project by a newspaper. Then in 2006, Trumbull County Make A Difference Day was named the national Encore Award winner by USA Weekend and received another $10,000 award.
The Tribune Chronicle cannot qualify for any more national awards, but individuals can.
Visit www.tribtoday.com and click on the Make A Difference Day link to register a project, see what projects are available and need volunteers, volunteer yourself, and print out forms, including the cornhole tournament registration form.
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