March 9, 2012

Dear Delawareans,

For the past three years, Jack and I have been inspired by the enthusiasm for volunteering and service that we have seen across our state. Thousands of Delawareans who lent a hand in projects up and down the state have found rewarding volunteer opportunities through entities such as www.VolunteerDelaware.org and on the News Journal’s website www.DelawareOnline.com/GetInvolved and have volunteered hundreds of thousands of hours. Delawareans have stepped up to the plate to help: neighbors bringing neglected blocks back to life, families aiding in localpark and stream clean-ups, citizens organizing coat drives before the winter. These are only a few of the hundreds of projects that volunteers are needed for each year. The needs continue.

In April this year, we are thrilled to announce the third annual Week of Service, April 15-21, 2012, coinciding with National Volunteerism Awareness Week. We hope each of you will take a little time out of your busy schedule to volunteer. Specifically, I ask you to do the following:

If you are with an organization that would like to have volunteer help with an activity, please visit our Volunteer Delaware website to list your event. We have instructions on how to list your event as well, please go to www.VolunteerDelaware.org

If you are an individual, youth group, company, group of friends, scouting organization or the like and want to help, please log onto www.VolunteerDelaware.org or to the News Journal’s “Get Involved” site www.DelawareOnline.com/GetInvolved and search for opportunities!

All of these efforts contribute to the powerful momentum we are building inDelaware. Every person can make a difference in the lives of others and in their communities. It is our hope that each citizen who volunteers that week will carry on volunteering not just for a week, but also for a lifetime.

One hour, one day, one dollar, one lifetime. Your help matters.

Sincerely,

Carla Markell

Founded in 2002, Success Won’t Wait, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit literacy organization based in Wilmington, Delaware. Want to learn more about Success Won’t Wait’s literacy projects, how to donate used  books, or volunteer your time? Simply visit About Success Won’t Wait.

Read now, because success won’t wait!