Week of Caring Completed

Derby Day Care Center gets a makeover

The Derby Day Care Center has a sparkling new look thanks to Valley United Way and its Corporate Volunteer Council who spent a week at the Center as part of United Way's annual Week of Caring project. Derby Mayor Marc Garofalo officially cut the ribbon at a thank you reception for the volunteers who had done all the work. Click here to see more photos and follow the links below to see the volunteers in action and the makeover that was accomplished. But before doing that, we want to acknowledge our sponsors who provided the resources to make the work possible:

The finish line is in sight as Week of Caring 2003 will be completed on Friday at the Derby Day Care Center. Volunteers spent last Saturday removing all of the furniture thanks to Superior Storage in Shelton and volunteers from Market Data Retrieval, Transcentive, Perkin Elmer, Naugatuck Savings Bank, New Wave Technology and Derby Day Care. Click here to see a photo album highlighting Saturday's work.

On Monday, volunteers from Staybridge Suites, Transcentive, and Wachovia Bank started to apply primer to the walls while electricians installed a new energy saving lighting system. Click here to see the day's photo album.

The scene was much brighter and whiter on Tuesday as the first coat of primer was finished, and the lighting system was completed. Transcentive, Smith Barney, Wachovia,Perkin Elmer and CAPS provided the manpower. Click here for pictures.

Wednesday was in inside/outside day as the deck and storage shed got a fresh coat of paint and some landscaping brightened the periphery of the building. On the inside, the painters moved beyond the primary coat to some finishing touches. The ceiling is finished, but touch up and trim are still needed throughout. Volunteers from GE, GE International, Transcentive, Pitney Bowes, Naugatuck Savings Bank, Perkin Elmer, CAPS, TEAM and Wachovia Bank swarmed the facility and applied gallons and gallons of paint. Click here to see the transformation taking place.

On Thursday, the trim was just about completed, new molding installed and touchup begun while the carpeting received a cleaning. Crews from Hall Kinion, Perkin Elmer, Wachovia, Transcentive and Wachovia finished up the fine details still remaining. Take a look at what they did by clicking here.

Friday!! At last the drop clothes, scaffolding, step ladders and masking tape disappear to be replaced by a complete new look for the Center. Volunteers spent the day cleaning up, patching up and bringing back the furniture removed a week ago. In addition to corporate volunteers from Transcentive, Perkin Elmer, the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, Iroquois Gas Transmission and the Birmingham Group, students from Mr. Frank's plumbing classes at Emmett O'Brien Regional Vocational Technical School showed up to make some major repairs to the lavatory facilities. Add to that the surprise donation of a new safety railing for the stage from New England Stair, and you have the perfect ending to a perfect week. Click here to see our volunteers in action or here to catch a glimpse of the sparkling new look at the Center.

If you or your company would like to get involved with the Corporate Volunteer Council, please contact Joy DeMarchis at the Volunteer Action Center.