For more than two decades, the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley’s Sandy O’Haver Day of Caring has united volunteers for a day of hands-on service to local nonprofits. This year, 175 volunteers representing 16 businesses supported 21 organizations and contributed more than $48,000 in donated labor throughout the Upper Ohio Valley.
Our team spent the day at Memorial Park in St. Clairsville, giving the Rotary Pavilion some much-needed care.
- 175Volunteers
- 16Businesses
- 21Nonprofits Served
- $48K+Donated Labor
A Pavilion With Goodman History
The project was especially meaningful because of the pavilion’s story. Built in 1996 through the efforts of the Rotary Club of St. Clairsville and Goodman, it has served as a community gathering place for nearly 30 years.
Nearly three decades later, Rotary and Goodman returned alongside United Way and community volunteers to care for what they helped build.
What Our Crew Did
The day began with volunteers gathering for coffee, donuts, and words of gratitude from United Way Executive Director Stacy Stephen before dispersing to project sites from Hancock to Tyler Counties in West Virginia and Belmont County, Ohio. At the Rotary Pavilion, our crew:
- Cleaned ceiling fans and roughly 30 light fixtures — removing covers, replacing bulbs for consistent lighting, scrubbing the covers, and reinstalling them
- Removed years of staples and leftover fasteners from picnic tables, walls, and the pavilion structure
- Cleaned every picnic table
- Refreshed the pavilion kitchen and restrooms
- Completed a long list of general cleaning and beautification around the pavilion and grounds
Community service does not always mean building something new. Sometimes, it means caring for what our community already has.
Local Impact, Lasting Change
United Way’s 2026–2027 campaign theme is “Local Impact, Lasting Change,” and this project brought that message to life: one pavilion, nearly 30 years of community use, and a new generation of volunteers showing up to care for it.
Local impact does not always look like something huge. Sometimes it looks like a team showing up at one pavilion on a Wednesday morning and asking, “How can I help?” Those small acts add up, and together with every other volunteer who served that day, they create lasting change.
Thank you to the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley for continuing the Sandy O’Haver Day of Caring tradition, to Memorial Park for welcoming us, and to every Goodman Properties, Rotary, and community volunteer who rolled up their sleeves and got to work.
Built for the community in 1996.
Cared for by the community in 2026.