Sixth- seventh- and eighth-graders and parents of the nonprofit Waldorf School of Santa Barbara will team up to work alongside community volunteers for the United Way of Santa Barbara County’s 2009 Day of Caring, the largest single-day volunteer event in the Tri-County.

Chosen as a work site for the 18th annual Day of Caring, the Waldorf School is gearing up to welcome volunteers from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday to paint, repair and reorganize the outdoor areas of the school to optimize the children’s play space.

“The fourth- and fifth-grade students will volunteer in the greater community by cleaning up Goleta Beach with the California Coastal Cleanup organization, another Day of Caring work site,” school administrator Joni McGoldrick said. “This is a wonderful way to model the global citizenship that is at the heart of our school’s philosophy, and we are thrilled to welcome in community volunteers to share in our school spirit. The Day of Caring slogan, ‘lend a hand, build a community’ is what we are all about.”

— Sarah Scott is a publicist.