Despite rain, hundreds of volunteers turn out for 2024 Day of Caring

Despite the rainy weather, representatives from more than 30 organizations volunteered their efforts Friday for the 10th rendition of the Captain Jason B. Jones Memorial Day of Caring.

The event, hosted by the Schuylkill United Way, brought together hundreds of people from its member agencies, who took part in various volunteer projects across Schuylkill County.

In Girardville and Ashland, volunteers installed free smoke alarms in some 60 homes, as part of an ongoing nationwide initiative by the American Red Cross.

“We have documented across the country over 2,600 lives saved because of this program, where we know that a family had a fire after volunteers just like you all went out and installed an alarm,” said Peter Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter of the Red Cross.

Brown said that smoke alarms increase a family’s chances of safely escaping a burning home by 50%.

After assembling at the Ranger Hose Company in Girardville, the 40 volunteers split into teams and installed more than 100 alarms across the two boroughs.

Girardville Fire Chief Frank Zangari Jr. stressed the importance of such initiatives, given the dwindling numbers of volunteer firefighters.

He said the average age of a county firefighter who gets called to a fire between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. is 57, while after 5 p.m., the average age is 47.

“You are going to make a huge difference in what you do today,” he told volunteers.

The initiative involved volunteers from Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital–Miners Campus, UGI and Schuylkill Community Action.

The Schuylkill United Way Day of Caring was renamed in 2015 in memory of Jones, an Orwigsburg native who was killed while serving in Afghanistan at the age of 29.

His father, Jay Jones, said he was happy with the latest United Way’s event.

“I’m thrilled with the turnout, especially with the adverse weather conditions,” said Jay Jones, a retired attorney.

He was one of a dozen representatives from his law firm — Williamson, Friedberg & Jones — on hand for the volunteer efforts at the Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation on Friday.

Also participating in the activities were students from Blue Mountain High School‘s varsity club, who helped set up campsites for Scouts.

Lisa Cook, a teacher at the high school, said the event holds special meaning for the school, as the late Jones was a Blue Mountain graduate.

“I actually have been teaching long enough that Jason was one of my students,” she said. “Today was special. I have a picture that I show the kids, to put a face with it, to keep his memory alive because he was such a big part of our school district, and it was such a tragic thing. We want to do whatever we can to give back.”

Kelly K. Malone, executive director of the United Way, said that despite the rain, about 185 volunteers were on-site for the Hawk Mountain activities.

Other businesses represented at the camp included the St. Joseph Center for Special Learning, M&T Bank, PPL, Hydro and Wegmans. The volunteers pitched tents, conducted electrical work, gardened, chipped wood and cleaned plates, preparing all the facilities for incoming Scouts.

Several Day of Caring activities, including in Pottsville, were postponed because of the rain.

When the rescheduled activities are completed next week, Malone said, there will have been more than 700 volunteers from 34 organizations involved in the initiative.