Caring for Our Community (CFOC) volunteers contribute not only of their time and talents, but also their love and compassion for their neighbors as they respond to the needs of their neighbors and community. In the first year of operation (2021), more than 125 CFOC volunteers invested more than 1,000 hours of their time collectively to improving their community and serving their neighbors in need. Since then, many more volunteers and participating organizations have joined CFOC in serving the Marion community.
Each year CFOC Board of Directors and volunteers reach out to their neighbors, community leaders, churches, civic and service organizations, and local government officials to identify crucial needs in the community. From these efforts, needs are prioritized, and activities are planned that can be undertaken by CFOC volunteers to address these crucial needs.
Projects undertaken by CFOC volunteers range from trash pick-up to painting to highly skilled home repairs or maintenance. See below for listings of Community Services Projects completed in years past.
2025 Community Service Projects
The 2025 Community Service Days are June 7th and 14th, 2025. Activities currently planned are listed below. Tasks are listed in order of priority by Workday and by Location.
Workday: 7 June 2025
1 PAINT/STAIN: Stain fence LOCATION: Marion Police Station/ Senior Citizens Center (SCC)
2 PAINT/STAIN: Paint remaining deck boards (5) at back; stain/paint boards on 2 benches; LOCATION: Marion Police Station/SCC
3 PAINT/STAIN: Stain 2 picnic table boards; LOCATION: Marion Police Station/SCC
4 PRESSURE WASH: Pressure wash retainer wall, sidewalks, and parking areas where mulch stored; LOCATION: Marion Police Station/SCC
5 MEAL: Provide lunch for volunteers and Police, Fire and EMS personnel; LOCATION: Marion Police Station/Senior Citizens Center Police Station/SCC
6 GARDENING: Remove weeds from flowerbeds; dig bed along front of building; add soil to beds where needed; plant shrubs and flowers; mulch beds; LOCATION: Marion Police Station/SCC
7 PRESSURE WASH: Pressure wash deck and ramp; LOCATION: Marion Resident # 1
8 REPAIR: Deck and steps; LOCATION: Marion Resident # 1
9 REPAIR: Remove broken concrete entry pad and replace with new 8’concrete slab entry; LOCATION: Marion Resident # 1
10 MISCELLANEOUS: Write Notes of Encouragement and prepare flower gifts for residents Francis Marion Manor; LOCATION: Royal Oak Presbyterian Church
11 GARDENING: Plant flowers in flower beds at E. Main-Broad Street intersection Broad Street; LOCATION: Downtown Marion
12 REPAIR: Weather seal and adjust latch on parsonage front door; LOCATION: Mt. Pleasant Historical Church & Museum
13 PAINT: Paint basement door on parsonage; LOCATION: Mt. Pleasant Historical Church & Museum
14 REPAIR: Replace windowpane in first floor arched window at back of parsonage; LOCATION: Mt. Pleasant Historical Church & Museum
15 REPAIR: Repair/replace back entry door; LOCATION: Lincoln Theatre
16 PAINT: Paint 4 gratings and handrails; LOCATION: Marion Fire Station
17 PRESSURE WASH: Pick up trash and pressure wash sidewalks, Main at Church Street intersection; also Main St. at Sheffey Street intersection; LOCATION: Downtown Marion
18 REPAIR: Siding on home; LOCATION: Marion Resident # 2
19 GARDENING: Spray poison ivy, oak found throughout landscape; LOCATION: River Bend Park
20 GARDENING: Spread mulch; LOCATION: Hadassah House
Workday: 14 June 2025
anctuary and museum in preparation for Juneteenth Celebration; LOCATION: Mt. Pleasant
2 PAINT/STAIN: Paint deck, steps, ramp; LOCATION: Marion Resident # 1
3 PRESSURE WASH: Pick up trash and pressure wash sidewalks, Main at Church Street intersection; also Main St. at Sheffey Street intersection; LOCATION: Downtown Marion
4 MEAL: Provide lunch for volunteers and Police, Fire and EMS personnel PD/Senior Citizens Center (June 8th and June 15th); LOCATION: Marion Police Station/SCC
5 CLEANING: Sort used equipment between metal and other; remove from storage and dispose of appropriately; LOCATION: Mel Lehman Free Clinic
To join any of the above work teams, go to the Volunteer Registration page and register. Most project teams are selected the day of the work event.
2024 Community Service Projects
Caring for Our Community’s 2024 Community Service Days events was June 8th and 15th. Projects completed in 2024 are listed below.
1a Marion Police Station/Senior Citizen Center: Repair fence and sections of deck handrails
1b Marion Police Station/Senior Citizen Center: Remove weeds, and dead or dying trees and shrubs from front
1c Marion Police Station/Senior Citizen Center: Pressure wash back patio and sidewalks
1d Marion Police Station/Senior Citizen Center: Paint deck, stairs, picnic tables, and benches
1e Marion Police Station/Senior Citizen Center: Scrape yellow curbs and repaint
1f Marion Police Station/Senior Citizen Center: cultivate beds, plant flowers and mulch
2 Pressure wash walls at Marion Fire Station; pick up trash and leaves in picnic pavilion and around building
3 Paint benches at Henderson School of Appalachian Arts
4a Gardening–Plant flowers in flower bed at Town of Marion entry sign, W. Main Street
4b Gardening–Plant flowers in flower bed at Town of Marion entry signs, Park Blvd.
4c Gardening–Plant flowers in flower bed at Town of Marion entry signs, N. Main at hospital.
4d Gardening–Plant flowers in flower beds in Hurricane Alley planters
4e Gardening–Plant flowers in flower beds in Broad Street intersection beds
4f Gardening–Plant flowers in two planters at Mel Lehman Free Clinic
5 American Legion: Demolish existing ramp in preparation for new deck rebuild
5b American Legion: Help with repairs of bathrooms to make ADA compliant?
6 Pressure wash rock sign at Wilderness Road Garden, N. Main at Park Blvd.
7 Paint classroom at Mt. Zion 8 Provide lunch for volunteers
9 Paint classroom at Mt. Zion
10 Mount 4 art mosaics at Town pool
2023 Community Service Projects
Projects undertaken and completed during the 2023 Service Days are listed below.
- Repair entry deck and handrail and paint large classroom a Mount Zion Day Care Center.
- Repair front entry doors and paint four outside benches at The Wayne C. Henderson School for Appalachian Arts.
- Pressure wash Hurricane Alley walkways, paint side entry doors to the Lincoln Theatre, and prepare flowerbeds for planting.
- Paint yellow curbs at key downtown Marion intersections (Main St. at Sheffey Street, Main St. at Church Street, and Main St. at Hwy 16).
- Paint safety barriers around front of Marion Fire Station.
- Make bows and prepare flowerpots for delivery to Francis Marion Manor residents.
- Repair water-damaged ceiling for Marion resident.
- Place rock border around flowerbed, pick up rocks from lawn, and pressure-wash sign at Wilderness Road Garden, Town of Marion.
- Build flower bed and plant flowers at Mount Pleasant Museum.
- Pressure-wash Marion downtown sidewalks.
- Weedeat Iron Street Mail walkway; plant flowers in two planters.
- Repair equipment and perform routine landscaping maintenance at Mountains of Fund Playground.
- Other opportunities to serve are being added to the list daily.
- Volunteers may offer other service opportunities when they pre-register (provide as much detail as possible.
2022 Community Service Projects
Projects undertaken and completed during the May 14 & 15, 2022 Service Days are listed below.
- Performed minor repaired to facility and cleaned exhibit area at Mt. Pleasant Historical Society Facility.
- Mulched flower beds and painted yellow curbs around building at Town of Marion Fire Department.
- Painted entry doors at The Wayne C. Henderson School for Appalachian Arts.
- Planted flowers at Hwy. 16 at Park Blvd. Green Space for Town of Marion.
- Painted four bedrooms and one hallway/stairway at Hadassah House Shelter for Homeless Women.
- Sorted, organized and purged (as needed) donated medical supplies and equipment at Mel Lehman Free Clinic.
- Repaired and painted lower door/archway at Model Train Museum.
- Removed and installed new outdoor BBQ grills, painted playground equipment, and picked up trash at Chatham Hill Park, Town of Marion.
- Repaired and painted back door at Lincoln Theatre.
- Painted curbs around front entry and parking circle entry and exit at Marion Senior High School.
2021 Community Service Projects
Caring for Our Community’s first ever Community Service Days events were held June 12 and 13, 2021 and October 9, 2021. Projects undertaken and completed during these events are listed below.
- Repair access ramp to community member’s storage shed
- Sort and pack clothes for community member
- Sort donated clothing for Helping Hands Thrift Shop
- Repair electrical lighting at Helping Hands Thrift Shop
- Paint yellow curbs along Main Street and other downtown area streets
- Refurbish residents’ courtyard at Francis Marion Manor Nursing Home
- Paint walls, columns in children’s section of Smyth County Library – Marion
- Paint main entry doors and ground floor windows at the Wayne C. Henderson School for the Appalachian Arts building
- Refresh landscaping at Highway 16 and N. Main Street intersection (project started in 2021 and to be completed in 2022)
- Pick up trash along River Bend Park walking trails
- Assemble gift bags for homeless women and children residing at Hadassah House
- Paint door jams at Marion Senior High School
- Pray for Caring for Our Community workers’ safety; join Prayer Team (on-site or off-site)
- Repair and upgrade plumbing and electrical at Marion Life Saving Crew building
- Repair roof and electrical wiring of community member’s home
- Install window air conditioner for community member