Volunteers set for community service day

By David Whisler
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer

Thousands of volunteers across the nation will join in a day of community service on Oct. 23. The event, known as Make A Difference Day, was created 14 years ago by USA Weekend Magazine, and is held each year on the fourth Saturday in October.

Saturday will mark the fifth time Cal State Long Beach has participated in the event. The Student Life and Development department hopes to get 70 students to take part.

"Our goal with the program is to get students excited about service," said Assistant Director, Brett Waterfield.

Each student will receive a T-shirt, as well as breakfast and lunch. A local vending company will provide a fully stocked catering truck for breakfast, and the 49er shops will donate lunches for the event.

This year, CSULB will continue their partnership with the Long Beach based non-profit organization, Rebuilding Together. They have participated in the event together for the last three years. Rebuilding Together's mission is to preserve and revitalize houses and communities, particularly those belonging to the elderly, disabled and families with children.

This year the group will help to refurbish a home belonging to a Long Beach resident who received code violations from the city. The volunteers will work with licensed contractors to bring the home into compliance with painting, carpentry and new fencing. Due to the nature of these projects, everything is weather permitting.

A committee of students was organized to oversee the event through the planning stages, and those students will be acting as group leaders on Saturday. Waterfield said this type of project works well with students by allowing them to see results right away.

"It's hands-on, one house, one day," he said.

Service learning and volunteer projects are gaining wide acceptance in school districts across the country. Many high schools now require students to perform up to 40 hours of community service work before graduation, and there is talk of state university systems instituting policies requiring community service work for college graduation as well.

So far, about 30 students have signed up to participate on Saturday, and the Student Life and Development office will continue to accept volunteers through Friday. Students wishing to volunteer are encouraged to stop by the office, located in the University Student Union, room 204, to sign up.