California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

    Community Service Center prepares for Service Day

    As a kick-off to the year, the Community Service Center is preparing for Service Day, on Sept. 28. Sign-ups are online along with descriptions of each service event.

    Karen Schomaker is the Coordinator for Community Service and has been overseeing Service Day for three years.ย  She explains that Service Day is a tradition that has been around for much longer than that. This will mark CSCโ€™s 12th annual Service Day.

    โ€œ2001 is the earliest one on record, but it could be older,โ€ Schomaker said.

    Service Day is a day for California Lutheran University students to volunteer for service projects on campus and in the local community. All event volunteers will receive breakfast and a free T-shirt for their community service. Meet-up location is on the Swenson Patio for all projects.ย  However, the meet-up time depends on the service event.

    According to Schomaker, the CSC office is busy, but their partnership with United Way is a big help.

    United Way is a non-profit organization that works with other non-profit organizations at more than 1,200 offices throughout the nation. Multiple project opportunities that CSC is offering on Service Day are put on through United Wayโ€™s Day of Caring in Santa Barbara County.

    From helping clean at a therapeutic horse ranch at the Ride On Ranch Clean-Up, painting warehouses at the Painting for Food Share to working at the CLU garden, CSC put together a variety of projects where students can volunteer. There are a total of 12 different community service projects that students are invited to take part in on Service Day.

    Students must provide their own source of transportation to and from locations. Off-campus projects will be in Simi Valley, Newbury Park and Ventura. Schomaker encourages students to carpool with one another for off-campus events.

    For students searching for service work nearby, CSC includes multiple projects on campus.

    Lunch will not be provided for any students, except for those participating at the A Walk in the Park project. According to Schomaker, events without a provided lunch will end earlier than those with a provided lunch.

    CLUโ€™s mission statement and encourages students to get involved with their global community. Service Day connects the students with each other and their surrounding community. Both Schomaker and CSC Healthcare Intern, junior Christine Trunick, encourage first-years to go out to the event.

    โ€œItโ€™s an opportunity to connect with students you may not know. A lot of clubs and organizations sign up, so itโ€™s an opportunity to get to know students specifically in a club,โ€ Schomaker said.

    CLU sophomore and returning Service Day participator Ryan Groegler is already looking for an off-campus project where he can volunteer. Groegler encourages students to take part and see the direct impact their service has on others.

    Service Day is CSCโ€™s start to the semester, but they will continue to put on projects all year long. There are service trips open to students and weeklong events dedicated to specific causes.

    โ€œThereโ€™s going to be so many more events, new events that maybe we havenโ€™t done and then events that we all know and love,โ€ Trunick said.

    The registration deadline for Service Day is Sept. 26. Any students interested in continuing to participate in CSC events can find out more information by checking The Hub, the online Student Life calendar.

     

    Savannah Robinson
    Staff Writer
    Published Sept. 25, 2013