By Emily Ford
eford@salisburypost.com
KANNAPOLIS ó More than 800 people have registered for Kannapolis Kares Day, the best response since the city began organizing the public service event four years ago.
“Having over 800 people is wonderful,” Kannapolis Community Outreach Coordinator Renee Goodnight said. “The response has been good, and it’s something we are excited about.”
The event begins at 8 a.m. Saturday with a breakfast for volunteers sponsored by Franklin Heights Baptist Church. The Kannapolis Intimidators will provide lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Both meals take place at Village Park, which will serve as headquarters throughout the day.
Goodnight credited a new citizens’ committee for boosting interest in the event. The committee has helped manage the 838 volunteers and 50 beautification and service projects that will take place throughout the city.
“They have really strengthened and grown our program,” Goodnight said.
As part of Kannapolis Kares, the city is offering free, secure document shredding starting today at Village Park.
Anyone can bring documents to the park through noon Saturday. Cintas Document Management will shred them.
This year’s theme is education, and most schools in Kannapolis will participate with a clean-up day, canned food drive or other project.
Forty-eight students from A.L. Brown High School will clean windows and the fountain at Hospice & Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, as well as painting and cleaning two Cooperative Christian Ministries properties.
“Passively or actively, you can get involved,” Goodnight said.
Trinity Methodist Church in Kannapolis will send volunteers into the surrounding neighborhood to deliver hand sanitizer and information about N1H1, or swine flu.
To learn more about Kannapolis Kares Day, contact Elizabeth Cox at 704-920-4314 or ecox@ci.kannapolis.nc.us.