Richard Stockton’s 9th Annual Day of Service, held on September 8th, assisted in connecting students with local organizations and volunteer opportunities. The function was run by the Office of Service-Learning, which “encourages relationship growth across faculty, students, and community partners”. The program began in the Campus Center event room, which was instantly occupied by over 300 volunteers and additional staff. A total of 25 community organizations participated in the event and offered assistance to volunteers. The impressive attendance contributed to the overall success of Day of Service, and marked a record in the school’s history.
Examples of the participating community partners were Circle K, Lake Fred Cleanup, South Shore Thrift Shop, Community Emergency Response Team, Books Without Borders, and more. These organizations challenged students to step out of their comfort zones. For instance, several students were asked to clean Lake Fred and remove mounting garbage. Others volunteered their time in thrift stores, sorting through and cleaning inventory. These activities may have been unusual and surprising to students. However, the experiences held countless benefits to both society as well as volunteers.
During registration for Day of Service, I indicated that my preferences were working with children and the environment. Those in charge compiled this information and placed me in the Girl Scouts of America. I had assumed that I would be learning about the organization and assisting young scouts in their attainment of badges. To my surprise, we were asked to compile paper work. Paper work? Wasn’t this Girl Scouts? Weren’t we supposed to be outside, identifying insects and leaves? It took a few moments for my mind to become adjusted to the idea of organizing folders, badges, and papers. To my surprise, this volunteering project challenged my ability to process information and quickly respond to directions. I learned to compute incoming information quicker, and stay focused on one single task.
I am grateful for my experience at Day of Service, and plan to volunteer with Girl Scouts in the near future. I was able to make connections with the scout leaders, who were more than willing to assist me in my forthcoming efforts. Along with other honors students, I plan on attending the 9th Annual MLK Day of Service on Monday, January 21, 2013. With our unified efforts, we can give back to society while simultaneously reaping countless rewards.