ISSUED: 23 August 2013
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Approximately 150 students and staff from Shepherd University volunteered at 30 locations throughout Jefferson and Berkeley counties for the school’s 13th annual Day of Service Tuesday, August 20.
The volunteers performed tasks such as cleaning, yard work, painting, office and administrative work, and preparing schools for the first day of school at nonprofit agencies, public parks, schools, memorials, and a day care center.
“I like helping others. It makes me feel good inside,” said Hannah McDonald, a math and biology major from Morgantown, who was pulling weeds at Good Shepherd Caregivers.
Day of Service is one of three days comprising Emerging Leaders in Service, a program designed to teach first-year students about leadership.
By participating in the Emerging Leaders in Service program, residential students can move in to campus dorms early. In addition, the students are able to become acclimated to campus earlier and make connections.
One freshman, Sam Werner, a computer science and network security major from Falling Waters, got involved for exactly that.
“I was trying to be more social. It’s a chance to meet new people and make friends earlier in the year,” he said, as he cleared debris from a stream at Morgans Grove Park. “And my mom said it would look good on my resume.”
Gary Tucker, president of the Good Shepherd Caregivers board of directors, said having the volunteers from Shepherd was great, and he hoped they would come back and volunteer regularly.
“It pays back to the community, and you have to teach them at a young age,” he said. “It gives me hope for the next generation.”
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