Miami Herald - November 4, 2004
Ben Torter, btorter@herald.com

Claudia Lopez knew that by the end of the afternoon, her clothes would be filthy with dirt and hair and slobber.

She loves it when that happens.

Once a month Lopez gives three hours of her time brushing, exercising and scratching the chins of the canines at Pet Rescue, an animal shelter in Carol City.

"It not only gives me a sense of fulfillment because the animals need attention, but I feel good knowing that I play a part in making the world a little better," said Lopez, a student at Miami Dade College.

Lopez found her volunteer project through Hands On Miami, a community service group based on the principle that people really do want to give back.

Like many people, Lopez's busy schedule and not knowing where to look had kept her from volunteering in the past.

"One of the biggest complaints I get from would-be volunteers is that they can't find the time to volunteer," said Ken Silvestri, a board member and volunteer for the 10-year-old program.

"That's where we come in," said Hannah Hausman, corporate services and communications director for the organization. "With over 85 projects a month -- and at least one a day -- Hands On Miami solves that problem.

"We like to say it's volunteering made easy," Hausman added.

Projects are flexible, and allow people to volunteer from as little as a few hours a year to as much time as their schedule and desire permits.

The projects available includes reading bedtime stories to homeless children at the Salvation Army, gardening at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, delivering care packages to AIDS and HIV patients at Jackson Memorial Hospital and working with animals, like Lopez's efforts with the animal shelter.

Saturday, the group is sponsoring its 10th Annual Hands On Miami Day, when more than 3,000 volunteers will paint, plant trees, create murals and clean up neighborhoods and beaches at 34 sites around the county.

"This year we anticipate giving back over 15,000 hours of community service," said Hausman.

She added that Hands On Miami organizers hope to raise more than $200,000 between registration fees and corporate and private donations. Last year's event raised $175,000.

That money goes right back into operations for projects like TLC Pet Rescue, Hausman said.

One difference this year, in honor of the event's 10th anniversary: The United Way of Miami -- a partner with Hands On Miami since 1996 -- moved its annual one-day community service kickoff project from August to coincide with Hands On Miami Day.

This melding makes Saturday's event the largest day of community service in our community, said Pat Morris, founder and CEO of Hands on Miami. The United Way is providing 800 volunteers.

Among them: Tammy Klingler, senior vice president of marketing and communications for The United Way of Miami. She'll roll up her sleeves to help clean up the Camp Matecumbe site.

Recently acquired by the county to be converted into a park and recreation area, Camp Matecumbe in Southwest Miami-Dade is the site where thousands of Cuban children stayed during the 1960s when they arrived through Operation Pedro Pan.

"There will be about 300 of us at the site to help the renovation of the camp by painting and landscaping and planting new trees," Klingler said.

Morris, the group's founder, said he's proud that the organization's mission is the same as the day it began. "Over 10 years we've continued to design meaningful volunteer projects that have a direct hands-on effect."

When he started, he had 147 volunteers taking part in five projects.

Today, it's more than 5,000 volunteers.

Carlos Arean, who has been working with Hands On Miami for three years, especially enjoys the programs that involve reading to kids and taking care of dogs.

Said Arean: "Imagine the difference that would be made if everyone volunteered just a few hours a year."

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