Carefest is a citywide event aimed at benefiting individual homeowners, schools and nonprofits.

ST. PETERSBURG – Volunteers are needed to help with home repair projects, painting, mowing, weeding, yard work and cleanups throughout St. Petersburg neighborhoods Sept. 24.

Sponsored by Somebody Cares Tampa Bay under the umbrella of CareFest USA, the annual week of compassion-related activities culminates with a day of service that gives back to the community, benefitting individual homeowners, schools and non-profit organizations.

CareFest activities are part of St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman’s I C.A.N. initiative (Involved Citizens Active in Neighborhoods), to help disseminate and support effective, efficient volunteer efforts throughout the city and throughout the year. The city’s Community Services Department is spearheading the day of service in St. Petersburg. Neighborhood and community-based groups, houses of worship, corporate teams, school clubs, businesses and individuals are invited to participate in a variety of one-day projects.

CareFest St. Pete 2016 starts and ends at Lake Vista Park with check-in and light morning refreshments at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 24, followed by projects conducted from 8 a.m. to noon. Once finished at their project site, participants are invited back to Lake Vista Park for volunteer recognition, lunch and entertainment between noon and 1:30 p.m. The event wraps up with CareFest organizers and the mayor presenting certificates to all volunteer groups. Volunteer roles may include cleaning up right-of-way areas, installing community signs, building wheelchair ramps, painting, handling minor home repair projects, yard and garden work.

Last September, more than 1,500 volunteers and 50 groups participated in CareFest St. Pete 2015, completing 81 projects – representing the religious, business and collegiate communities as well as neighborhood groups and service agencies.

For volunteer information, contact Susan Ajoc, Community Services, (727) 892-5141, or Chris Cahall, CareFest St. Pete co-chair, (727) 743-5695. Volunteers and groups can also request information by e-mail to ICAN@stpete.org.

For information, go to carefestusa.com, click on “get involved,” “search for a project,” “St. Petersburg.”

For information about Somebody Cares Tampa Bay, go to sctb.org.

St. Petersburg | CareFest | Somebody Cares Tampa Bay | Volunteers | St. Pete Events | TB Reporter

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