Stony Brook University’s Community Service Day on August 20, hosted by the Center for Service Learning and Community Service, was a success. More than 200 students participated in 10 outstanding service projects aimed at giving back to the community and making a difference.
“Community Service Day was a significant accomplishment for the Stony Brook community. A day this special would not have been possible without the unwavering support of President Maurie McInnis, our Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Rick Gatteau, as well as our incredible partners who collaborated with us to create and host volunteers and the Center for Service Learning and Community Service committee,” said Tara Bolettieri, assistant director for the Center for Service Learning and Community Service.
Many of the events that took place during Community Service Day were hands-on, and students got their hands dirty to beautify Stony Brook’s campus by planting more than 400 plants in the West Campus 9/11 Memorial Garden and Chancellor’s Hall at Stony Brook Southampton. Students also helped build a new garden bed at the Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Micro-Farm, whose food donations benefit the Stony Brook Student Food Pantry and Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson. Other students showed their support by spending the day at the Long Island State Veterans Home, enhancing their grounds by decorating with American flags and pinwheels.
Students also had the option to share their tech knowledge with community members. Participants helped 36 senior citizen members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) learn how to utilize their mobile devices and navigate through applications such as WolfieNet and Google Drive. Others guided possible future Seawolves by mentoring 25 high school students from Morrison Mentors and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island through their college application journeys.
Seawolves also had the option to make a difference from a distance. Hundreds of cards were created to send joy to cancer patients through Send a Smile Today and local homebound seniors through Catholic Charities of Long Island’s Meals on Wheels program. Testimonial videos and letters were sent to bipartisan legislation to support and encourage those in service in the Peace Corps.
In addition, Stony Brook gathered 922 pounds of food donated through the in-person and virtual food drives in support of Stony Brook University’s Food Pantry and Long Island Cares. And 16 individuals donated their hair to Wigs for Kids for children experiencing hair loss.
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