DAYTON — Dayton Consolidated School is looking for volunteers to assist in painting and other projects on a volunteer work day scheduled for Sept. 9.

Dayton Consolidated School Principal Kim Sampietro announced in a recent letter to the school community the school is this year’s York County recipient of the Maine Education Association Retired, Day of Caring.

Maine Education Association Retired, or MEA-Retired, is a made up of retired teachers and educational support professionals from public and private elementary and high schools as well as colleges. The group’s purpose is to promote economic, professional and social welfare of retired educators.

The organization’s annual Day of Caring combines the concepts of the National Education Association Outreach to Teach and AARP’s Day of Service to honor Sept. 11, 2001, according to the MEA-Retired website.

Through the Day of Caring, a school in each county is selected each year, and the organization provides support and volunteers for the completion of small projects.

“This is an opportunity to give back to the communities in which we live and to the students we love,” states the organization on its website.

The Day of Caring event will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 9, and run throughout the day, said Sampietro. Projects scheduled include planting a new flower bed in front of the school, as well as updating the beds already in place, painting inside the building, stage renovations, and repainting some existing features on the playground tar.

Sampietro is asking community members to volunteer and assist with the projects.

“We are very excited to be given this special day, but we need your help,” said Sampietro.  “We know many hands make light work.”

Sampietro said there will be a sign-up sheet at an open house later this month for those who wish to volunteer, though those who don’t sign up can also volunteer at the event. 

“Participants who can stay for the day — great. Even a few hours would make a difference,” said Sampietro. “We’d love to see parents, grandparents and community members who may or may not have had children attend Dayton School at one time.”

Those who can’t attend, but can donate supplies like mulch, lawn care tools or paint brushes or would like to supply food for the volunteers can contact Sampietro at ksampietro@daytonschooldept.org.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.