Mayor and County Recognition Day set

EL DORADO — Volunteering and civic engagement are the cornerstone of a strong nation. To spotlight the impact of national service and thank those who serve, Mayor Frank Hash will join mayors across the country in participating in the annual Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service today. This day is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The Corporation for National and Community Service annually engages millions of Americans in service at more than 50,000 locations through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and other programs. RSVP, part of the Senior Corps, was launched in the spring of 1971, and is America’s largest volunteer network for people age 55 and older with nearly 500,000 people participating every year, according to a news release from El Dorado Connections.

Locally, last year 200 Senior Corps RSVP volunteers served Union, Ouachita and Columbia counties with over 56,000 hours of community service, which the Independent Sector values at over $1,071,840. Volunteers provide service and support for local food pantries, adult literacy, elementary Book Buddies, the VITA tax program, other nonprofit organizations, and assist senior adults with aging in place in addition to a variety of other projects.

Tri-County RSVP began in 1973, and is sponsored by the South Arkansas Regional Health Center. For more information about RSVP, visit www. eldoradoconnections.com/RSVP or call 8647080.

As the federal agency for national service and volunteering, CNCS annually engages millions of citizens in service at more than 50,000 sites across the country. Through AmeriCorps (including VISTA and NCCC), Senior Corps (including Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions and RSVP), the Social Innovation Fund and other programs, CNCS leverages federal and private funds to support organizations that achieve measurable results where the need is greatest.