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Volunteers paint a school playground during the United Way of Utah County's Day of Caring on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.

Courtesy Nate Edwards, BYU

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Volunteers perform beautification efforts at the United Way of Utah County's new American Fork facility during the annual Day of Caring on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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This photo taken Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, shows the opening ceremonies during the United Way of Utah County's Day of Daring breakfast event.

Courtesy Nate Edwards, BYU

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Volunteers paint a room at the United Way of Utah County's new American Fork facility during the annual Day of Caring on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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Around 1,500 volunteers prepared for service during United Way of Utah County's Day of Caring event Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.

Courtesy Nate Edwards, BYU

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Volunteers beautify the outside of the United Way of Utah County's new American Fork facility during the Day of Caring event Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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From painting walls in a soon-to-be-open community center to service projects at local parks and reading activities at area schools, volunteers came out in droves during this year’s Day of Caring in Utah County.

On Thursday, over 1,500 people from over 40 businesses and organizations throughout the county volunteered their time and efforts for the United Way of Utah County’s 31st annual event.

The day aims to bring people from diverse backgrounds together to demonstrate care for the community through more than 70 projects countywide.

The day started off with breakfast at NuSkin in Provo, followed by volunteers heading off to their respective work sites for the day.

“Our goal at the end of day (is) always great projects, but also hopefully to give people a reminder and examples how they can be better neighbors in everyday life,” said Bill Hulterstrom, president and CEO of United Way of Utah County. “We have (programs like) EveryDay Strong, EveryDay Learners — just everyday how can we care more?”

Volunteers visited just over a dozen schools in Utah County to read to students, paint playgrounds, or engage in activities related to science, technology, engineering and math.

Other projects involved service at different organizations.

A group of about 30 volunteers from Texas Instruments spent the day sprucing up United Way of Utah County’s newly announced facility in American Fork.

As the Daily Herald previously reported, the nonprofit recently received a $300,000 grant from the Texas Instruments Foundation to fund a new community center that is set to open in early 2025.

Michaelann Gardner, senior impact director for United Way of Utah County, said the building acquired earlier this year previously was used by another local nonprofit.

“It’s a building that’s been in use before but it’s brand new to us, and there’s a lot of work that needs to be done to get it ready for the kids and the families,” Gardner said.

With a quick turnaround until its grand opening, all hands are on deck to make sure the facility is as good as new ahead of its slated unveiling.

Volunteers pulled up and hauled away dead trees and branches, and performed weeding, gardening and painting, among other beautifying efforts.

“And you know, these guys work in manufacturing, and that kind of thing all day, they’re not landscapers — they’re not professionals like that,” Gardner said. “But they’re willing just to show up and chainsaw that tree and dig out that bed and pull out that Oregon grape (shrub) and whatever really needs to be done.”

“And that’s just the beginning of, like, what we’re going to have to do to really get this place ready to go,” Gardner noted as the clock ticked down on the American Fork facility’s opening day.

In all, the day encompassed volunteers from dozens of sites with companies from across Utah County like Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University, Duncan Aviation, Mountainland Technical College, Verisk and others.

“This is just an example of what we can do in one day that hopefully connects with people and what people can do year-round with their time and their money and their hearts,” Hulterstrom said