By Jan Koltun Titus

On the premise that caring actions point us all toward true community, United Way of San Juan County will hold its third annual Day of Caring this coming Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to kick off its fall fundraising campaign on all three islands in an attempt to raise $250,000 to meet the needs of island children and elders.

This projected amount represents a 30 percent increase over last year, the result of polling United Way grantees to find out what their needs will be in this time of economic turndown.

United Way grants benefit 29 human services programs in the county. On Orcas, these include The Funhouse, OPAL, Orcas Elementary Prevention Partnership, Orcas Family Health Center, Orcas Montessori, Orcas Prevention Partnership, Orcas Readiness to Learn, and Orcas Family Connections.

Members of these non-profits, as well as Lions, Kiwanis, and Odd Fellows, are invited to meet at the blue tent next to Orcas Center to participate in three much needed projects: cleaning up the Vitality Trail around the school, some brush removal at Orcas Center, and weeding at the Senior Center. Bring clippers and/or spades and wheelbarrows. Rakes will be provided. Orcas United Way board members will bring coffee and cookies.

Why partner with our local United Way? It’s the best return for your charitable dollar because we monitor our grants carefully, both by requiring information to assure that grants will be spent for the requested purpose and by visiting grantees to assure they’re doing a good job. Also, as 99 percent of the money stays in San Juan County, dollars are circulated to help our own economy.

Caring, it is said, benefits the caregiver as much as those who are cared for. This is perhaps the best reason to show up and clean up at Saturday’s Day of Caring.

Jan Koltun Titus is the 2009 United Way Board Chair.