500+ students, faculty and staff serve Reading Schools
Despite steady rain that persisted throughout the day, more than 500 new and returning ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ students, faculty staff and peer mentors strengthed relationships with the local community by conducting a series of daylong service projects at nearly every school in the Reading School District.
"We are a community," said ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ President John R. Loyack. "We do service as a community, and we welcome new people as a community. This is what moral leadership is all about."
As many as 40 students assigned to 21 school locations served the school districts in multiple ways, including helping teachers prepare classrooms for the upcoming year; hardening, weeding and mulching outside areas; cleaning up sidewalks and walkways, and painting murals and decorating walls.
Basically you are helping out your little brother and sister, and this day is for them," said first-year student Philip Glockner.
This marks the 11th year that ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ students participated in the Orientation Day of Service. The day followed move-in day when students unpacked their belongings in their new residence halls, posed for a class picture on the steps outside Francis Hall and attended the opening convocation ceremony. The day is one of four days of service throughout the year when the university connects with the community on multiple service projects. The other three days are Feast of St. Francis, Martin Lutehr King Jr. Day and Earth Day.
