In her "Live United" T-shirt, Sandy Heintz and an army of volunteers scattered throughout Rapid City to build a better community Thursday afternoon. It was part of United Way's Day of Caring and the kickoff to its 2009-2010 fundraising campaign.

With the painting, weeding, minor home repairs, staining and a laundry list of other chores, she joined 860 volunteers on 87 teams to complete 72 projects for people and organizations in need.

Armed with a pair of work gloves and pruning shears, Heintz and 14 other members of her team from the Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau were snipping off the dead blooms of the 25 rose beds in Memorial Park, just south of the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

"We've been true supporters," Heintz said of her group.

In its 65th year, United Way of the Black Hills will support 49 nonprofit agencies, which includes those in the Southern Hills - the newest area to join United Way.

"It includes the Southern Hills communities of Keystone, Hill City, Custer, Hot Springs and Edgemont," said Renee Parker, the executive director.

Parker said that, between now and Thanksgiving, United Way of the Black Hills will work to reach its goal of $2.2 million to help support each of the 49 agencies.

Of that total, $75,000 would serve the Southern Hills, $98,000 would assist Sturgis and $188,000 would help the Northern Hills.

"In the Rapid City area, our goal is $1.9 million," she said.

Parker and the six United Way staff members will coordinate the next campaign launches next Thursday in Sturgis, Sept. 15 in the Northern Hills, then on to the Southern Hills.

She commended her staff for their hard work and tireless efforts to successfully launch each campaign.

"They do it out of love and it is obvious," she said.

The Heintz team have performed lots of projects for United Way over the years. They have stained playground furniture at Youth & Family Services, cleaned homes and garages for the elderly, freshened flower beds at the Stavkirke church (also known as Chapel in the Hills), painted structures at the Central States Fairgrounds and WAVI and spruced up the Welcome to Rapid City signs.

"It's our second year of trimming roses in the rose garden," she added.

Dave Strand, Doug Rumpca, Lisa Pilker, and Stephanie Meyer - who observed her birthday volunteering - were tackling various chores around the Stavkirke. Strand and Rumpca were adding mulch to a newly planted tree and would soon put up fencing to keep deer from browsing on the bark. It was the second year at the chapel for Strand.

"It's what we're all about," said Terry Satrang, manager of the church.

About 80 people volunteer in the gift shop at the church, but there's always more chores than people.

"With all the good help we have, we'll get all of the projects done today and then some," Satrang said.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.