Note: Area businesses helping to make the The Big Day of Serving in Lima possible include, First Federal Bank, Jerry Lewis' McDonald's Restaurants, Husky Refinery, Bluffton University, Cappie's Sportswear, Lee's Chicken, Lamar Advertising, Maverick Media, Your Hometown Stations, Superior Federal Credit Union, Prestige Tax and Business Services, Crouse Lumber Do It Center and Wal-Mart.

On Saturday, Sept. 22, several hundred volunteers from churches and communities throughout the region will come to Lima to revitalize a neighborhood in just eight hours. The area being impacted is the Eastside neighborhood near Lima Memorial Health System. Volunteers will participate in up to 50 projects including painting, trimming, mulching, planting, cleaning city blocks and parking lots, doing home repairs and more.

The Big Day of Serving experience in Lima was in 2010. It was also only the fourth project of its type that year but helped to pave the way for the same event to take place in many more cities around the U.S. in 2011 and 2012. In just the first two years of this one day mission experience in Lima, The Big Day of Serving has welcomed more than 1,000 volunteers from around the region who have completed more than 140 projects.

This year's service projects will take place on the streets within the Eastside neighborhood near Lima Memorial Health System. Residents living in the project area who are interested in having work completed at their home such as trimming, planting, mulching and other minor exterior repairs should contact Forest Park United Methodist Church at 419-227-8445.

Volunteers will start the morning with a kickoff rally at 8 a.m. They are then divided into teams to complete the service projects. Lunch is provided. At the end of the day the area residents and volunteers join together for a block party celebration with music, inflatable games and dinner. The event is over around 4 p.m.

There are several ways for community members to get involved. Businesses and residents can make cash donations to offset the costs of putting on the event including food, supplies and materials. Products or services can also be donated to help with the event. Finally, individuals or groups can volunteer and help make this great event happen.

Volunteers should register in advance at www.TheBigDayOfServing.com. As with many mission experiences there is a minor cost. The small registration fee helps to offset the costs of two meals, t-shirt, supplies, materials, project coordination and more.

For more information about how to get involved or to view a video and photos from the 2011 event visit www.TheBigDayOfServing.com.

The Big Day of Serving is a national program put on by Group Cares, a non-profit organization that has helped to organize mission projects for more than 30 years.