Volunteer opportunities
bring out the best

More than 130 UD students, some from Americorps, fraternities and other student organizations, took off for Fort DuPont in Delaware City, Oct. 25, for a cleanup campaign sponsored by the Senior Class officers. With clippers, saws and energy, the students, wearing special UD Make A Difference Day gloves, attacked the overgrown grounds, pulling up vines and weeds, sawing down small trees and undergrowth. The students had fun working together and getting to know each other, and the staff of the fort was thrilled with the results.

Volunteer activities abound on the UD campus with opportunities for students to get involved with everything--from animals to babies to senior citizens.

Coordinated by Jane B. Moore, student life, the Community Service Program offers incoming students a myriad of ways to be active by volunteering.

"We hope to present students with worthwhile things to do as they get to know each other and the community," Moore said. "Volunteerism is a great way to work and play together while making a contribution.

"With more high schools focusing on volunteer work, we know many of our incoming students already have been volunteers and we hope they will want to continue."

This year, every incoming student received a letter listing 25 local organizations looking for volunteers. Included were short-term commitments, such as handing out fliers at Newark Community Day for Citizens Against Traffic (CAT) or working at a race to benefit Habitat for Humanity, and there were long-term commitments as well, such as mentoring a child through Big Brothers/Big Sisters or befriending a disabled person through ARC (Association for the Rights of Citizens) of Delaware. Students were encouraged to choose an opportunity they would like to explore alone or with a group of friends for personal satisfaction or career development.

Additionally, at the end of September, each residence hall government was asked to select a community agency to support. Greek organizations also have been asked to expand their role in volunteerism.

"Our Community Service Program offers students the opportunity to give a portion of their time to helping others," Moore said "Opportunities include working with people of all ages and in situations involving the environment, family, the arts, health, animals, hunger, education, disabilities and social justice."

In September, a volunteer fair, called "The Service Learning Connection," was held in the Trabant University Center, with representatives of more than 40 local nonprofit organizations.

Saturday, Oct. 25, was national Make a Difference Day, and the Senior Class officers sponsored a University-wide volunteer effort to clean up historic Fort Delaware.

-Beth Thomas
Photo by Heidi M. Scheing