Wauwatosa, WI, AUGUST 21, 2014 - It's the largest single-day GE volunteering event in the world and during this year's 20th GE Community Service Day, more than 2,500 volunteers will work in 21 local area schools.

This year, on Aug. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., GE Volunteers are serving at 17 Milwaukee Public Schools and four Waukesha Public Schools. More than 2,500current and retired employee volunteers donate time toward improving resources and environments in the schools. In addition to current GE employees, nearly 150 volunteers from outside the company will join in the event including GE retirees and members of the Milwaukee Bucks and Junior Achievement of Wisconsin staff, and PTO groups. Volunteers will paint, clean, organize, and landscape in order to enhance the facilities. This year's event includes the 20th anniversary celebration for the volunteers and school staff at Miller Park.

"Community Service Day has been a great tradition at GE for 20 years," said Brian Masterson, Vice President of GE Healthcare Global Supply Chain. "Volunteerism at GE is embedded in our culture and it is something we truly value. It is really great for our employees to be able to make a difference in the communities in which we work."

At Victory School for the Gifted and Talented and Italian Immersion, volunteers will construct and install 160 shelf cubbies for the library, and at Grantosa Drive School, a large United States map will be painted by volunteers on the playground. At Allen-Field School, volunteers are creating a story area in the library and at Central Middle School in Waukesha they are installing a brick patio and benches. Overall, volunteers have about 200 painting projects and are creating more than 100 murals covering all 21 locations.

"GE is a true community partner. To have such a large group of employee volunteers help at our schools is proof of that commitment," MPS Acting Superintendent Dr. Darienne Driver said. "When children return to school and see all the work that has been done, it shows them that their community cares. We are grateful for all of the volunteers!"

Community Service Day is part of GE's broad collaboration with Milwaukee Public Schools, which includes the GE Foundation's five-year, $20.4-million Developing Futures grant to MPS and an ongoing GE/MPS STEM Partnership, where more than 300 volunteers work at six MPS schools tutoring and mentoring students. GE Volunteers collaborate with Waukesha Public Schools on a variety of mentoring programs, including GE Girls at MSOE, a week-long engineering camp designed and staffed by GE volunteers together with MSOE staff and faculty. Other volunteer activities include science experiments, career discussions, Toastmasters, FIRST Robotics/Lego League, science fair projects and other mentoring programs. In 2013, more than 4,900 GE Volunteers contributed more than 42,000 volunteer hours in the greater Milwaukee area.

GE has had a major presence in Wisconsin since 1947. For 65 years, we have been able to reach toward the future, find solutions to tough problems, create new jobs and programs that improve people's lives, and make a difference in our communities.

Organizations involved in this year's Community Service Day include:

Milwaukee Public Schools:

  • Allen-Field Elementary School
  • Wedgewood Park International School
  • Manitoba Elementary School
  • Hawley Environmental School
  • Westside Academy
  • Clement J. Zablocki School
  • Elm Creative Arts School
  • Forest Home Avenue School
  • Mitchell Elementary School
  • Greenfield High School
  • Lloyd Barbee Montessori
  • Henry David Thoreau School
  • Lynde and Harry Bradley Technology & Trade School
  • Grantosa Drive School
  • Cass Street School
  • Victory School for the Gifted and Talented
  • Eighty-First Street School

Waukesha Public Schools:

  • Waukesha West High School
  • Les Paul Middle School (formerly Central Middle School)
  • Lowell Elementary School
Rose Glen Elementary School
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