EUGENE, Ore. -- (Oct. 20, 2010) - More than 100 University of Oregon students, faculty and staff are expected to volunteer for community and neighborhood projects during the national "Make A Difference Day" on Saturday, Oct. 23.
Millions of people across the U.S. are expected to participate in the 20th annual event. The UO is taking part for the second year in a row with projects organized by its Service Learning Program.
The university's efforts are in partnership with United Way, as a "Days of Caring" event. United Way held its annual Days of Caring last month, on Sept. 21 and 22, with more than 600 volunteers joining to help Lane County nonprofit organizations. Because of the university's academic calendar, most students did not have a chance to volunteer on Days of Caring. To ensure that all students, faculty and staff could participate, the Service Learning Program and United Way partnered on a special Make A Difference Day: A Day of Caring.
It will be an all-day event with 14 projects, each lasting about three hours. Each project will include a tour of a community organization, a service project and a short reflection. The service projects include working at a Habitat for Humanity building site, trail maintenance at Hendricks Park and working in the Food for Lane County Grass Roots Garden.
The event is open to all students, staff and faculty. Community members and alumni are also welcome to participate. People can register by going online
Oct. 23 also marks the second year of the Duck Corps, a program designed to support and enhance all service and volunteer efforts at the UO. Through an online registration process, participants identify areas of service that are of interest and importance to them - such as youth activities and mentoring, environment and sustainability, or homelessness and poverty. The program serves as a clearinghouse for service opportunities in the region.
Once registered in the Duck Corps, the Service Learning Program will identify placement opportunities in the community that match participants' interests. Members of the Duck Corps are notified of unique service opportunities and projects that take place throughout the year. All UO students, faculty and staff may register for the program, and student groups or organizations are also encouraged to register.
After completing their service projects, individuals and groups can use Duck Corps to log their hours and be eligible for prizes and awards.
The Service Learning Program is located in the breezeway of the Erb Memorial Union.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of the 63 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.
MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Mosley, UO media relations, 541-346-3606, jmosley@uoregon.edu
SOURCE: Sinclair Ceasar, UO Service Learning Program community relations coordinator, 541-346-4351, sceasar@uoregon.edu