On a hot and sunny day in Estevan, Saskatchewan, more than 110 volunteers fanned out across their community on May 27 with ladders, lawnmowers, and determined energy, tackling 62 projects that ranged from window washing and yard work to tree trimming and painting jobs. It was the United Way Estevan's annual Day of Caring, and the scale of the effort revealed something quietly powerful: when a community commits to showing up for its neighbors, the work gets done.
Shelly Veroba and Wendy Gustafson, co-chairs of the Day of Caring committee, had orchestrated the day with an eye toward reaching people who couldn't manage such work alone. Many of the projects went to residents facing barriers—physical, financial, or otherwise—who needed help but might not otherwise ask. But the impact rippled beyond individual homes. Organizations including Creighton Lodge, Hill View Manor, the Estevan Regional Nursing Home, Trinity Tower, St. Joseph's Hospital long-term care, the Souris Valley Theatre, and the Estevan Bible Camp also benefited from crews of volunteers who brought not just their labor but their equipment: trucks, trailers, tree-trimming supplies, and work gloves sourced from their own garages and toolsheds.
What made the day work was corporate participation woven into the fabric of the event. Many Estevan businesses gave their employees time away from work to volunteer, a decision that turned the Day of Caring into a visible community statement. Gustafson watched this unfold with clear appreciation. "You see the different companies and businesses," she said. "They come all dressed in their shirts, and people are really just excited to be a part of it. It's pretty cool to see all of the businesses and companies that come." Several volunteers were experiencing the Day of Caring for the first time, a sign that the initiative continues to draw new participants into its orbit.
The weather cooperated in its own way. Though the day brought heat, Veroba noted that a helpful wind eased the burden on volunteers working under the sun. When projects were large—the kind that required many hands working in concert—volunteers stepped up without hesitation. "Those large projects take a lot of volunteers, so we're thankful for everyone who is volunteering today," Veroba said, a simple acknowledgment that reflected both the scope of the work and the generosity required to complete it.
Gustafson encountered profound gratitude from those receiving help. "Everywhere that we have gone, they are very pleased with what's been done," she reflected. One project recipient was so moved to be included in the Day of Caring that their appreciation made an impression on the volunteers themselves. It was a reciprocal moment—the kind that reminds communities why they do this work.
The day concluded with lunch served at the Estevan Alliance Church, where volunteers and project recipients broke bread together. Creighton Lodge contributed pulled pork, potato salad, and coleslaw, while the Southern Plains Co-op donated buns, cookies, and water. These contributions underscored the collaborative spirit woven throughout: nobody was doing this alone.
In closing, Gustafson reflected on what the day meant. "We're grateful for volunteers that are just willing to do the work, and not afraid to just roll up their sleeves, and dig in and do the hard work." For her, Estevan had proven itself a generous community, and the Day of Caring was simply the United Way's way of channeling that generosity back to the people who made it possible.