On Saturday, Oct. 3, residents across Leland will come together to help others in their community.
Known as “Lend a Hand,” the event is a community-wide day of service. It was born in 2023 out of a desire to create a bigger sense of community in Leland. A committee made up of town employees felt that bringing people together for a day of volunteerism could help achieve that goal.
The first event focused on improving Cypress Cove Park. While there were five different projects for participants to choose from, all of them focused on enhancing the park.
“Then, off of that event, the following year is when we brought in those other organizations and other locations,” said Brenna Keegan, recreation coordinator, who participated in the first event in 2023.
There were about 20 volunteers at the first event, and last year's event had more than 75.
Since its launch, Lend a Hand has brought together 444 volunteers to support eight local organizations, completing 19 projects.
The annual event is scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Volunteers will check in at 8 a.m. After light refreshments and an opportunity to connect with fellow participants, volunteers will learn more about their projects and the organizations they will be supporting.
At 9 a.m., participants will travel to their work sites to begin their day of service.
This year’s volunteer opportunities include:
- Stream clean-up: Kayak with Cape Fear River Watch to collect water samples and pick up trash near Cypress Cove Park.
- Trash pick-up: Join We Live Here to collect litter in the Westgate District.
- Tree planting: Beautify and enhance the Westgate District with Alliance for Cape Fear Trees.
- Food distribution: Assist First Baptist Church of Leland with its drive-thru food bank.
- Food drive: Collect donations to support First Baptist Church of Leland’s future food distributions.
- Walk audit: Participate in an AARP-led walk audit to inform future improvements along Village Road.
Those who wish to participate in Lend a Hand must register by Sept. 25. For more information or two register, visit the town of Leland’s website at www.townofleland.com/lendahand.
Keegan said that in addition to bringing the community together for a day of volunteerism, the event has also helped residents connect with regular volunteer opportunities in the community. She noted that First Baptist Church of Leland has seen nearly every volunteer that participated with the organization during Lend a Hand return to help at other times throughout the year.
Alison Fore, communications specialist with the town of Leland, said she believes Lend a Hand has achieved what the committee set out to do by creating relationships with both individuals and organizations within the town.
“It has definitely brought people closer to the community and given them more opportunities to find a space because we do get a lot of new residents who join us here in Leland,” Fore said.
Renee Spencer is the community engagement editor at the StarNews. Reach her at rspencer@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: It's time for residents to 'Lend a Hand' in Leland
