This Week In Service

Hello Everyone,

Thanks to those of you who participated in USM's First Annual Day of Service this past Friday! Over 120 students participated in projects ranging from community gardens and classrooms to cleaning out Preble Street Soup Kitchen. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves and if you have any feedback we would love to hear it.

If you have been doing community service on your own, we would also like to hear about what your doing as we are trying to put together reports on students community service hours. Just visit the following link to submit your hours (http://usm.maine.edu/studentlife/community/forms/hourform.html)

Upcoming Projects!

Friday 4/23

Portland Trails: This one got rained out last Friday for the Day of Service, so we are doing it this Friday instead when the weather should be nice from 11:30 to 3:30. We can easily use up to twenty students. There is a lot of weeding and mulching to do along with some trail repair and resurfacing. What to bring: Sturdy shoes and water. Contact Alicia Sampson at asampson@usm.maine.edu to get involved.

Saturday 4/24

Urban Clean-Up: We will be teaming with MECA to clean up the streets of Portland. There will be a free pancake breakfast for all volunteers at MECA starting at 10am and the clean-up will commence around 11am. Contact AmeriCorps Volunteer Jess Sheldon at jsheldon@meca.edu to get involved.

Saturday 4/24

Potato Planting Day

Potato Planting Day is Rippling Waters Organic Farm's biggest volunteer day of the year! On Saturday, April 24, from 10a-1p, volunteers will be convening on five acres of land for a single purpose: the spud. We will plant many types of tubers in a few different fields. It's a great day to meet and mingle while helping out your local organic farmer and getting some quality outdoors time with the soil. Work starts at 10 AM sharp, and there's a potluck lunch at noon, so bring a small veggie dish to share if you want to show off your culinary skills.

To get involved, contact us or Phil Jellen at volunteer.ripplingwaters@gmail.com

Saturday 4/30

Thinking Matters is once again approaching quickly. Last year, ewut out a call for volunteers for the day of Thinking Matters and got great response. This year it will be on Friday, April 30th. We are hoping you will be able to help us again. Volunteers should contact Renee Gravelle at renee.gravelle@maine.edu or telephone #228 8040.

Sierra Club Energy Efficiency Canvassing

We are looking for 60 volunteers who have an interest in reaching out to our communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. You will take a 2 hour weatherization/energy-efficiency course (on-line from April 30- May 10) and then canvass for 4 hours on May 15th (9am to 1pm) in Portland or Camden. Afterwards, there will be a celebration lunch provided. Walk away with knowledge and skills about weatherization and energy conservation! For more info, visit www.coolmaine.org and contact Sandy Amborn at 761-5616 or maine.chapter@sierraclub.org

Camp Sebago

Each year The Salvation Army sends 150 underprivileged kids to Camp Sebago in Standish, ME (www.campsebago.org). They need 6 volunteers to help out at the 2010 Camp Rally on April 23^rd from 9a to noon, providing parents with information about camp and to register the kids. While the parents are going through the registration process, the kids are in our gym playing games, having snacks and winning prizes. It's a fun event and gives volunteers the opportunity to work with families in need. If interested, contact Danielle Gudroe at 207.774.4172 ext. 265

With raindrops and sunrays,

The Farmhouse

University of Southern Maine

Office of Community Service

and Civic Engagement

(207)228-8091 / fax (207)228-8403

community@usm.maine.edu

http://usm.maine.edu/studentlife/communityservice