April 13, 2009
1,000 ‘Dawgs’ sought to help with service projects
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- What can 1,000 Dawgs accomplish? That’s what the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Saluki Volunteer Corps hopes to find out as they call on all Salukis to participate in service projects on Saturday, April 18.
The goal is to get 1,000 students to give some of their time and energy to help with one of the eight public service projects. It’s not an impossible goal either. Historically, SIUC students are generous about giving their time to help others, with hundreds typically participating in Saluki service days, organizers say.
The service day celebrates Global Youth Service Day and National Volunteer Week. The earliest of the projects kicks off at 7:30 a.m. while some don’t start until as late as 10 a.m. It all wraps up at about noon and then the volunteers will enjoy root beer ice cream floats in the Student Recreation Center’s Alumni Lounge.
Media Advisory
Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover the Saluki 1,000 service day activities. To do so, visit any of the service sites during the hours specified in this release. For more information, contact Ben Scherr at 618/453-5714 or via e-mail at bscherr@sdev.siu.edu or Iesha Mona Wilson at 618/453-7520 or via e-mail at siuvista@sdev.siu.edu
Here are the details about each of the Saluki 1000 service day projects:
• Kinkaid Lake cleanup: 7:30 a.m.-noon at the Kinkaid Lake Marina. Volunteers will walk the lake shoreline, rain or shine, picking up litter and sprucing up the lake. Volunteers will enjoy a provided lunch afterward.
• 18th Annual Spring Cleanup and recycling: 8 a.m.-noon at Turley Park in Carbondale. Students will join in the community-wide cleanup by volunteering to clean a designated area or by selecting an Adopt-a-Spot location. Volunteers must wear long pants and walking shoes.
• St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital help: 9 a.m.-noon in Student Center Rooms A/B. Students must bring addresses of friends and family to whom they’ll be sending St. Jude’s letters seeking to raise money to help fight childhood cancer and other tragic childhood diseases.
• T-shirts for Zambian children: 9 a.m.-noon in Student Center Rooms C/D. Students will create T-shirts for children in Zambia orphaned by AIDS. All materials are on site.
• Annual World Hunger Sale: 9 a.m.-noon at the Newman Catholic Center. Students will help sort, price and sell items for the big benefit sale.
• Happy Factory toy making: 9 a.m.-noon at the Student Center Craft Shop. Students will craft wooden toys for donation to agencies that serve needy children. All materials provided.
• Mother’s Day cards: 10 a.m.-noon at the Student Center Craft Shop. Join in creating Mother’s Day cards for donation to the Women’s Center. All materials at the Craft Shop.
• Flowerpot decorating: 10 a.m.-noon at Student Center Craft Shop. Everything you need to celebrate spring by decorating and painting clay flowerpots is there. The decorative pots will go to The Women’s Center.
Students need to pre-register at the Student Development office on the third floor of the Student Center no later than 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 15. Students will receive Saluki Volunteer Corps community service hours for participating. All service activities are U-Card events. For more information, contact the Student Development office at 618/453-5714 or e-mail bscherr@sdev.siu.edu or Iesha Mona Wilson at 618/453-7520 or via e-mail at siuvista@sdev.siu.edu.