On January 16th, Stockton College held its 8th Annual Day of Service in which students and faculty worked on various service projects that benefitted the local community.  Not coincidentally, this Day of Service was held on the Martin Luther King, Jr., federal holiday.  During the opening remarks, the speakers connected the day’s purpose with the life and vision of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Besides honoring the life of a great civil rights leader, this holiday was also envisioned as a call for Americans to go out and volunteer in their communities.

The Day of Service took place both on-campus and off-campus at charities in the surrounding community.  My project that day was working at the Gilda’s Club of South Jersey in Linwood, NJ.  Stockton sent seven students to Gilda’s Club, and upon arriving, we were greeted by Adria Light, Gilda’s program manager.  Before assigning us the tasks for the day, the group learned about the purpose and history of Gilda’s Club.  Gilda’s Club was named after a former Saturday Night Live comedian named Gilda Radner.  In 1989, Radner died from ovarian cancer, and Gilda’s Club was formed in her honor.  The purpose of Gilda’s Club is to provide emotional support for people and their families who are suffering from the effects of cancer.  Gilda’s Club is a free service to the community, and today, there are 22 Gilda’s Clubs in the United States offering their support and care to all who need it.

The primary job that Ms. Light had our group complete was cleaning the clubhouse.  Each person chose a different job to do.  I primarily washed windows while other people swept and vacuumed floors.  Ms. Light first sent us to clean an area of the clubhouse that is leased to local businesses.  These local businesses provide a source of income for the club that helps fund many of their programs.  Spending the Day of Service at Gilda’s Club was a wonderful experience.  It felt great to help a local charity that keeps the spirits up for those suffering from cancer.