On Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011, 120 volunteers spread out across Canton for Focus on Canton's 2011 Neighbors Helping Neighbors Day. The adults and students gave their time and talents to perform jobs for 46 Canton households. Rakes and leaf blowers got leaves into the woods, or bagged and transported to the Transfer Station. Eight residents had the traffic area of their carpets shampooed. Doors and windows were washed and one storm door was installed. Flowers and plants were cut back and small gardens weeded.Mattresses were turned and covered and a bathroom faucet was replaced. Many conversations between volunteers and residents brightened everyone's day. Although no donations were requested, some folks made donations to Focus on Canton, Inc. to help other Canton residents when there is no other timely resource to help them.

We extend tremendous thanks to all the hard-working volunteers: Emil Huyghebaert's Boy Scout Troop # 77 (16 students); Scott Siebers' Church of the Latter-Day Saints Group (15 students); Liz Nardi's Girl Scout Troop #61245 (9 students); Diane Mankowski's Girl Scout Troop #66397 (5 students); Kathy Westmoreland's Girl Scout Troop #66491 (4 students); Janet Hall's Girl Scout Troop # 66598 (4 students); Robin DeFina's Brownie Troop #66056 (12 students) Meredith Pickett's St. Patrick's Spyrit Group (13 students); other adults, Art Mauger, Jay Miller, Terry and Bryan Getchell, Peter Hiza, Heidi and Joseph Viener, Roman Daniels, Louise, Glenn and Noah Korner, Michelle Dube, Matt Solomon, Hal Scheidel, Carol Tucker, Fred Taylor, Robert Prescott-Ezickson, and, each and every other adult that participated with the groups.

The annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors Day was first begun by the late CC Murphy as a member of Focus on Canton. She opened the eyes of the Focus members to the magic achieved by helping our neighbors with this event. Special kudos to Focus on Canton members, David Poleyestewa, who served as Clerk of the Works. Thanks also to Scott Siebers and Hal Scheidel who transported old furniture to and many bags of leaves to the transfer station. We are so grateful to our Focus members that oversaw the event: Margaret Sangster for job coordination at 21 Dowd Avenue and Nancy Habbal at other locations; Deneen Lockwood for publicity; Jim Wheeler, Marge Harmon and Bill Henson for supplies/inventory and its distribution; Rina Pane for directing folk as the event's first time Director; Nancy Mackie and Clair Cote for volunteer registration; Maureen Wallison and Peg Pinton for kitchen/snacks; and, Linda Spiers for photography. Thank you to the following Focus organizations: Canton Community Baptist Church for their facility; Trinity Episcopal Church for apples; Lions Club for water and granola bars; Cherry Book Health Center for yummy home-made cookies; and North Canton Community United Methodist Church for napkins. We also thank Ace Larsen Hardware for donating $228 worth of rakes, tarps, brooms and leaf bags. Finally, we thank ShopRite for a $30 gift card that was used to buy paper towels, window washer refills, leaf bags and snack bags.All made the Focus on Canton 2011 Neighbors Helping Neighbors Day truly a grand success even with the one week delay due to the horrible October Halloween Nor'easter.