200 Volunteers Help Elderly Neighbors With Free Yard Work

Patricia Buerman watched volunteers transform her Helena yard and felt like she'd found a little piece of heaven on earth.

The 5th annual Spirit of Service event brought together volunteers and homeowners who needed help but couldn't manage it alone. United Way organized the community cleanup day specifically for elderly residents, people with disabilities, and veterans facing mobility challenges.

This year's turnout broke records. Over 200 volunteers fanned out across 18 locations, with teams of 8 to 12 people at each site completing work that would normally take weeks.

The tasks ranged from painting and deck repairs to hedge trimming and gutter cleaning. For Buerman, just getting her gutters cleaned had previously cost $700. This time, it was completely free thanks to local business sponsorships covering all materials and equipment.

Jeff Buscher, United Way's community impact coordinator, explained how the program fills a real gap. "We often get calls, 'Hey, I need this help, is there anybody out there that can do this?' and we felt like springtime is a great time to mobilize local groups," he said.

What the volunteers accomplished in just a few hours would have been impossible for many homeowners to tackle alone. Projects that seemed overwhelming on Saturday morning were finished by afternoon.

The Ripple Effect

The real transformation happened beyond the freshly painted fences and trimmed hedges. Volunteer Alana Listoe spent time simply talking with the homeowner she was helping. One of her coworkers lives nearby and promised to stop by regularly for visits.

"That was the best part," Listoe said about the conversation. "New friends, new friendships formed."

For homeowners like Buerman, the day meant more than just free labor. It was proof that her community cared. "Gratitude, delight, wonderful to belong to a community of service and recognition of need," she said.

Listoe summed up what drove so many volunteers to give their Saturday. "I think it's our duty as humans to give back to each other, that's what makes the world go round," she said. "Coming together as a human race for each other is what the world needs right now more than anything."

Two hundred volunteers proved that when neighbors help neighbors, everyone wins.