Here’s a chance to ‘Make a Difference’

If you want to make a difference on Kauai, you’ll have your chance Saturday.

For more than 20 years, USA WEEKEND Magazine and Points of Light have sponsored Make A Difference Day, the largest national day of community service. Millions of volunteers around the world unite in a common mission to improve the lives of others.

They’ll be joined by hundreds here on the Garden Isle, who will tackle an array of tasks, with no thought of what they will receive, but what they can give. And if you can’t commit to being somewhere at set hours of the day or just don’t work well with others, here’s the great thing about Make a Difference Day: There are endless ways to just go out on your own and do something as simple as pick up trash, drive a friend to the store or offer to do something for your neighbor. The concept is simple: Just make a difference, in a positive way, in the lives of those around you. It could start with a kind word or a smile.

But if you want a time and place to get involved, here’s a favorite: Snorkel for a Cause, 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., Morgan’s Park at Lydgate Park. The goal is to remove debris from the bottom of the pond. Bring goggles, fins and gloves if you want to dive. If you’re not into scooping up waterlogged branches under water, folks are also needed to transport the filled plastic bins to shore, and load it from there into trucks.

If you would rather stay on land, teams will be sprucing up Kamalani Playground at Lydgate Park from 7:30 to noon. Bring work gloves, a water bottle, sun protection and you’re in business.

While no one is doing this for rewards, they’ll get them anyway. Lunch and treats will be served when the work is done. Info: wwwl.kamalani.org.

Community groups will be leading other projects around the island.

When Saturday is over, we hope Kauai will be an even better place thanks to people who believed they could make a difference — and did.