From North to South: the volunteers of Beautiful Israel

Feb 2016

 

 

They may not always make headlines, but 2,000 Beautiful Israel volunteers work quietly throughout the year to improve our quality of life. Organized by the 13 CBI branches, from Karmiel in the north to Eilat in the south, they not only conduct surveys and rank the organizations taking part in the Council’s annual contests; the volunteers are deeply involved in the community, carrying out welcome initiatives that raise environmental awareness and improve living standards.

 

These volunteer activities are often made possible due to partnerships established by Beautiful Israel branch managers with local commercial enterprises wishing to join the effort by providing the required resources. The impact is three-fold – on the community, on the environment and, no less important, on the wellbeing of those who take part. Here’s a quick look at some of our recent initiatives.

 

• As part of Tu B’Shvat celebration, the Migdal Ha’emek branch held activities for seeding plants and planting spice seedlings, with the participation of senior citizens and young people.

 

•  In Ness Ziona, Beautiful Israel volunteers distributed fresh, hot Chanukah donuts to children in after-school clubs; together with employees of the Israel Electric Company, they carried out electrical repairs for solitary seniors. 

 

•  CBI’s Dan branch established a new library and meeting place for volunteers and the community.

 

•  The Sharon and Shoham branches erected and staffed information stands on environmental issues, such as the importance of recycling electronic refuse.

 

•  The Jerusalem branch enlisted dozens of school classes from various backgrounds and age-levels to take part in Cleanup Day activities throughout the city.

 

•  The Ashdod branch decorated the grey concrete rocket shelters spread around the city’s dialysis institute with colorful murals, helping make the patients’ visits more pleasant. When the institute moves to its new building next year in order to meet the criteria of the Home Front Command, the decorated shelters will be contributed to one of the communities in southern Israel. 

 

•  The Eilat branch, established less than a year ago, has already made its mark by organizing a complex clean-up operation for the coral reef. Held in cooperation with divers and sailors from the Israel Navy, as well as field troops from Israel's Southern Command, the activities went off with the precision of a military operation, cleaning above and below the waves.