More than 100 area Sailors reached out to help the community, June 24, by participating in the United Way’s 16th annual Day of Caring.

The Sailors joined volunteers from local businesses and community groups to lend a hand with more than 30 different projects throughout Kitsap County.

One group of more than 60 Navy volunteers headed to Camp Niwana, 100 acres of land in rural south Kitsap County outside of Port Orchard. Operated by the Central Puget Sound Council of Camp Fire USA, the historic camp offers day and week long camps to boys and girls. 

“Every spring we clean up the site, logging, and removing trees,” said Camp Fire USA volunteer Debra Langley Boyer.

Sailors at the camp split wood and loaded it on a stake truck at one location, while other’s cut and raked scrub brush and cleared trails throughout the vast camp.

The sound of a wood chipper wailed away at another site creating recycled mulch for distribution.

Navy volunteer coordinator, Chief Master at Arms Douglas Dreher said the outing was not only important for the recipient of the work but also for the Sailors.

“We have a lot of junior Sailors out here to see what’s like to help the community. It’s a lot of hard work, but they love it,” Dreher said.

Boyer said she was very happy with the amount of work accomplished by the volunteers.

“We had a great turnout,” she said. “The Navy always comes through and we love them.”