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Helping Hands make Light Work

Information reprinted with permission of the Courier Times, local newspaper New Castle, Indiana www.thecouriertimes.com

Helping Hands make light work

Posted: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 6:00 am

Caroline Hamilton has always had a passion for bringing people together, regardless of beliefs or opinions. When Hamilton read an online post complaining about the condition of New Castle’s Lowe Park on 25th Street, she decided that it was as good a time as any to implement her passion.

Hamilton reached out to several Facebook communities and organized a clean up day, like the annual Day of Caring. Together with volunteers, business donations and the support of her family, Hamilton created the Henry County Helping Hands.

Saturday morning, the group undertook their first project: the Lowe Park Clean Up. Adults and kids dug up weeds and trash around the playground and landscaping. They filled a half dozen black trash bags before noon.

“I don’t want people to say ‘Good job.’ I want them to come out and help,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton said she learned a lot about the Henry County community while organizing the Lowe Park Clean Up.

“Perhaps, it is not that no one cares, as many people think,” Hamilton said. “Perhaps, it is that they do not know where to start.”

Asking for help was the first step. Hamilton contacted New Castle Park Superintendent Dan Denney and found out that the city has no money right now to help with landscaping materials like mulch. So Hamilton reached out directly to companies and a few Facebook groups that she is a part of and shared her plan. 

Hamilton said Townsend Tree Service and Tri State Forestry volunteered mulch for the Lowe Park playground. Central Indiana Hydroseeding offered to help spread the mulch around so that volunteers could focus on digging out weeds and other overgrowth around the park. The mulch is scheduled to be delivered and spread by Thursday.

Kevin Davenport from Clean N Simple donated supplies to the workers. Dennis Ferree from Henry County Construction donated materials. And New Castle Fire Department Fire Station No. 2 allowed the good Samaritans to use their bathroom facilities as well as their water hose and electricity.

“It was amazing to see the outpouring of support and volunteers stand up and be part of the change,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton said she hopes Henry County Helping Hands can continue to help the community by taking care of yard work and minor exterior home maintenance for people who cannot physically take care of it themselves. The group is also hosting a stuffed animal drive for Riley Hospital. They are looking for gently used or new stuffed animals.

For more information, search ‘Henry County Helping Hands’ on Facebook.

“We are as a people very divided on so very much,” Hamilton said. “We can change the world, we can change lives, we can stand together, we can make a difference ... we just need more people to be unafraid to try.”