APX Alarm and United Way Day of Caring
United Way Day of Caring is an opportunity to improve the community through service. Groups of volunteers provide service at various nonprofit organizations throughout Utah County. We at APX Alarm decided to help at Kids on the Move. Kids on the Move is a non-profit organization based in Orem, Utah that provides support and services to children and families in Utah County. Kids on the Move serves families with children birth to age three, including families of children with special needs and also low-income families.
Kids on the Move had many projects that they needed extra help with. Service projects included landscaping, painting, building, repairing, and cleaning. With very little extra money or time to do these projects on their own, APX Alarm sent 25 volunteers to help in these projects. From 8:30 in the morning to 2:00 in the afternoon employees worked on projects until they were completed.
Volunteers had the opportunity to watch a presentation on the families and children that need the help of Kids on the Move. Employees were able to see firsthand the difference that Kids on the Move is making with autistic children and children with learning disabilities through a tour of the facilities and a presentation. As Volunteers were leaving Kathy Leedom said “your company is so great, you are the first company that has come to volunteer and stayed until the projects were complete. Usually the other volunteers are gone as soon as the time frame they were given was up.” With over 125 hours of volunteer service from our employees, the projects were complete.
This year, more than 700 people participated in Day of Caring throughout the area and helped provide service throughout Utah County.
This sure was a fun day! When we first showed up we got to watch a brief introductory video about KOTM and to see what a difference it makes in so many people’s lives including some of APX’s own. We then got split up into a few groups to tackle the various projects they needed done and I went with the group who was assigned to paint one of their office rooms. When we first were shown the room it had drab white walls with some kiddy themed wallpaper bordering the walls. It certaintly could use some sprucing up. The lady who showed us the room told us that if the wallpaper was going to be too difficult to remove then we could go ahead and just paint the walls but Lindsay was pretty adamant that we were not going to do this job half-way and so we proceeded to spray lots of vinager water to remove the wallpaper and once that was done got started with the painting. It was a pretty long and smelly process but in the end the room looked so much better than it had before and we had a fun time doing it. I’m really glad that I was able to go to KOTM that day.
The Day of Caring was a nice service opportunity. I really enjoyed learning more about Kids on the Move and the great service it is to the community.
I was able to spend a few hours working on the landscaping and was impressed with the people I worked along side. It made my day.
I visited the United Way Day of Caring project at Kids on the Move and found APX Alarm employees fast at work with smiles on their faces. It is fun to see the difference a group of committed people can make – a difference your group made. The United Way Day of Caring was a huge success in Utah County with more than 1200 participants from dozens of companies throughout Utah County. It will be fun to see the good APX Alarm does again next year.
Thank you for making a difference.
Glenn Gilliam
Resource Development Director
United Way of Utah County
It was great to be able to help Kids on the Move during the United Way Day of Caring. What a great organization! The help they provide to families who have children with special needs is amazing, and it was humbling to be able to help them in some small way. I am thankful to work for a company that knows what is important in life, and gives us these types of opportunities to serve others. I look forward to helping again, and hope to have my kids along beside me next time!
Nothing better than a little hard work for such a great place like Kids on the Move. We got to frame in a little door opening and start them off toward making 1 office into 2, and did our best to change a hallway window into a door for those offices. We also got to paint the outside railings to make it look sharp again… I think my APX Gives Back shirt now shows a little love from actual time on the job. It was great to get out of the office and a little dirty =)
It is always rewarding to donate time and service to people in need, but it was especially touching to work with Kids on the Move. Before starting our service projects, the Director delivered a quick speech of gratitude and then shared a video introducing the role of Kids on the Move. What an exceptional program! Knowing the purpose and mission of Kids on the Move boosted my desire to help them. I would’ve stayed all day if they’d let me!