During the United Way’s Week of Caring for 2002, nearly 300 volunteers from more than 30 businesses and organizations helped paint, landscape, sort, teach or otherwise lend a helping hand to needy people in the county.

Over the week of workdays, several seniors had their houses scraped, primed and painted, the Red Cross got a new sign at their location near Highway 13, the Albert Lea Family Y completed a landscaping project, facilities at the park in Glenville got a new coat of paint, and the child care center at Riverland Community College had a shade shelter built.

Other groups cleaned up lakefront areas, held picnics for Arc clients and youth in the chemical dependency program, helped with The Salvation Army’s after school program, and did some spring cleaning at area non-profit agencies.