2020 class of Leadership Wilmington is preparing for Work on Wilmington
Wilmington, N.C. - A fresh coat of paint here. A new bench there. A flower bed here. A sapling planted there.
And the time for the camaraderie, hard work and, yes, fun, of Work on Wilmington (WoW) is almost here, as the 2020 class of Leadership Wilmington continues to recruit corporate partners and volunteers for the annual effort that makes Wilmington a better place to live.
“I enjoy volunteering for Work on Wilmington (WoW) because it is a fun way to get together with a group of friends and collogues to help our community,” said April England, supervisor of Work Management Support at Duke Energy. “It is amazing to see what can be done in just a single morning when we all get together.”
The annual event began under the 2006 class of Leadership Wilmington, a civic leadership development program spearheaded by the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. The program’s goal is to create meaningful, hands-on service projects that improve quality of life and achieve tangible results.
Projects have benefitted schools, nonprofit organizations and parks throughout the community.
“The Children and Teachers of Island Montessori Charter school are in a state of astonishment. With a few volunteers and four hours, the weeds were transformed into two amazing outdoor classrooms that the children will utilize every day,” Brian Corrigan, Head of School Island Montessori Charter School, said in a testimonial on the WoW website.
Shirley Melito, medical laboratory supervisor with New Hanover County, performed landscaping work at the YWCA on South College Road during the WoW event two years ago and was inspired to get involved again. She has volunteered to serve as a team captain for county employees who would like to volunteer in the 2020 WoW event.
“It was really a lot of fun. We enjoyed it and I thought It would be great to see if we could get a team from the county together,” she said. “(WoW) is a great idea to bring the community together.”
It’s a lot of smiles, elbow grease and teamwork coming together over four hours on a Saturday in April to make the community a little prettier, a little fresher and a lot better. This year’s WoW event will be April 25.
“Seeing the impact is incredible,” England said. “I have volunteered at WOW several times over the last seven years at Duke Energy.”
“Why Work on Wilmington? Because where else can four short hours of volunteer work have so much of an impact on a community!” said Jennifer Adams, head of facilities and maintenance at Corning Incorporated. “To me, volunteerism is crucial in order for a town to thrive. Volunteering helps create a sense of connection to your place, to your neighbors, and reinforces what you feel is good and right in your neighborhood.”
“With Work on Wilmington, all you have to do is show up – no preparation, no supplies needed, no training – just bring a positive attitude and smile on your face,” Adams said. “You leave with a sense of accomplishment for a job well done, knowing you’ve helped others in your community. Corning Incorporated has been a supporter of Work on Wilmington for many years now, because we are committed to enhancing and sustaining our vibrant community.”
England said she has taken part in improvement projects at Dreams of Wilmington, WARM, WHAT (Wilmington Health Access for Teens), the Pretty in Pink Foundation and at local schools.
“It is great to work for a company that encourages its employees to make a difference in our communities,” England said.
The list of national and local companies supporting WoW is long.
Charlie Mattox, Market President for Branch Banking and Trust Company (BB&T) said the financial institution chooses to partner with organizations that make “a big difference” in the community.
“Widely recognized as the largest and most well-coordinated service project initiative in our area, Work on Wilmington impacts thousands of citizens in the Wilmington area,” Mattox said. “By helping to fund this important work year after year with financial investments as well as volunteers, BB&T demonstrates our steadfast commitment towards helping to make our community an even better place to live.”
Information on sponsorship opportunities, how to submit a project for consideration and to sign up to volunteer is available at workonwilmington.org.
###
The mission of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce is to drive economic growth through active engagement and advocacy for our business community. We take a stand on issues on the local, state, and national level, to make Wilmington a stronger business community. We bring business and community leaders together toward the common goal of economic growth as well as providing emerging leaders opportunities for professional development. We provide opportunities for the business community to connect and grow. We unite over 1,000 member businesses to accomplish much more than one person or business could achieve independently.
2020 class of Leadership Wilmington is preparing for Work on Wilmington