When the
Arizona Builders Alliance (ABA) decided to implement an annual Volunteer Day in April 2008, members hit the ground running and unanimously selected the
Mesa Association of Sports for the Disabled (MASD) to be their first beneficiary.
MASD is a nonprofit organization that provides sports and recreation opportunities to people of all ages and with all types of disabilities. It provides year-round training and competition through Special Olympics programs to approximately 500 local athletes, and a majority of the programs are offered free of charge.
However, the gymnasium MASD used for events was built in 1961, and many of its components had not been upgraded in more than 40 years.
That all changed when the community service project was placed in the hands of the ABA Leadership Development Forum (LDF), which was established in 1994 to prepare individuals at construction companies for active leadership roles. ABA’s Volunteer Day was a perfect opportunity for participants to enhance their leadership skills while giving back to the community.
The LDF’s goal was to raise $300,000 to update the gym and facility, including donations of time and materials, as well as sponsorships. In the end, the group exceeded initial expectations by collecting $425,000 for the project.
The LDF recruited 85 ABA member and non-member companies to contribute to the effort. One part of the project involved installing a new air-conditioning system, while other volunteers added storage units and new carpet, painted walls, and installed a new grid and ceiling tiles in the activity room.
Additionally, the locker rooms were renovated to meet the needs of physically disabled athletes. Workers also redesigned an office space with a new copier and modular office furniture. An external facelift included painting, landscaping and parking lot resurfacing.
On March 14, ABA held a re-dedication in the spirit of a new beginning for the transformed building.
“We purposely held back some of the work so members of MASD could participate as well as members of the community,” says Susan Moore, director of ABA’s Volunteer Day project.
Although the volunteers only planned to give back to their community, the community ended up giving back to them as well.
“The biggest joy was seeing the LDF participants grow into leaders,” Moore says. “They really gave with their hearts, even in these tough economic times.”
The LDF’s next project will benefit Scottsdale Training and Rehabilitation Services, which provides life skills and employment training to help adults with severe disabilities become more independent.