September 25, 2012
“What A Difference A Day
Makes”
On Saturday, September 29, members of the St. John’s University
community will join together in embracing the University’s
Vincentian mission and heritage at its 11th
Annual University Service Day. Service Day is a
University-wide celebration scheduled each year to coincide with
the feast of St. Vincent de Paul, and involves the campus community
embodying the University core value of service and its Vincentian
mission, while serving communities locally, nationally and
globally.
Approximately 1,500 students, faculty and administrators from each
campus location (Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, Oakdale, Paris,
Rome) will join together to serve our communities locally and
abroad.
Throughout the day, volunteers will be serving the hungry in
soup kitchens, visiting residents at nursing homes, engaging in
activities with disadvantaged children, painting rooms in nearby
schools and community centers, and providing assistance with so
many other important projects.
Some specific locations where St. John’s University
community members will be on Service Day, Saturday September 29
include:
Queens:
- Project HYPE (St. John’s University Queens Campus) – St. John’s
Honors Program will engage with middle school students in creating
and implementing interactive lesson plans.
- Drug Takeback (St. John’s University Queens Campus) – Drop off
site for any unused, expired or unwanted prescription and
over-the-counter medications for safe destruction.
- Heartshare First Step (Richmond Hill) – Women’s Track and Cross
Country team will help run a family day carnival.
- Department of Veterans Affairs: Albans Community Living (St.
Albans) – Women’s Softball will connect with Veterans during a
bowling game.
Long Island:
- St. Vincent De Paul Friends of the Poor Walk (Bethpage State
Park) – Volunteers will help with registration and assist during
the walk.
- Island Harvest Can Donation (St. John’s University Oakdale
Campus) – Drop off site for donating canned and packaged
goods.
Staten Island:
- Breast Cancer Memorial Wreath & Ribbons (St John’s
University Staten Island Campus) - Annual tradition of making a
six-foot wreath, made of memorial ribbons and cards for those who
battle with Breast Cancer.
Participants volunteering at the Paris, Rome and Seville
campuses will engage in various activities for University Service
Day such as sorting food at local food banks, partaking in Midnight
Runs, and cleaning up various parks on October 2.
This year’s Service Day will conclude St. John’s
University’s Founder’s Week, a week of events and
programs dedicated to deepening our knowledge and understanding of
our Vincentian heritage. For more information on
Founder’s Week, please visit http://www.stjohns.edu/about/vincentian/foundersweek.
For media inquiries, please contact The Office of Media
Relations at St. John’s University, by calling (718) 990-2451, or
by e-mail at mediarelations@stjohns.edu.
For more information on University Service Day please contact Lucy
Pesce, Executive Director for Mission, at (718) 990-3004, or by
e-mail at pescel@stjohns.edu.