Spotlight: Verizon employees in the Tampa, FL area help strengthen their local community through the Verizon Volunteer Day of Service

Verizon Volunteer team members who built the YMCA GaGa pit include (top left to right) Glenroy Barrow, Dane Gray, Geoffrey Chisholm, Suresh Muraki, Tim Mann, Kim Farrell, Darryl Hawkins, and (bottom left to right) Joey Santiago, Vijay Garimella and Machelle Dwyer.

Teams of Verizon employees and their friends and family members fanned out throughout the Tampa Bay area on Saturday, May 15, 2010 to give back to their local communities through a variety of volunteer projects as part of Verizon's inaugural Day of Service.

In all, more than 150 Verizon volunteers, family members and friends tackled 13 projects - from organizing school supplies to a coastal cleanup that filled more than 100 trash bags. Other projects included sorting supplies at a local soup kitchen and preparing giveaway bags for a fundraising event in support of a local children's home.

Perhaps the most unusual project where volunteers donated their sweat and expertise on the day was the construction of a special "GaGa pit" at the YMCA's Camp Cristina in Riverview - the end product is an octagonal wooden enclosure that will be used by the YMCA campers to play a certain type of dodge ball game.

Julie Smith, Vice President for External Affairs at Verizon, who successfully coordinated the entire day of events, felt the contribution of Verizon employees to the local community was truly inspiring. "By all accounts the day was a success, and the nonprofits we helped are grateful for the hours devoted to supporting them in the communities we serve. We plan to coordinate more of these volunteer team building events in the future," said Smith.