Service groups unite to display commitment

Thousands of UCLA students engage in community service, whether
through an organization on campus or on their own. Sadly, because
these organizations and students are so fractured and
compartmentalized, many people do not think of UCLA as a campus
that is committed to helping the community.

Since no one ever sees us all at once, our dedication to service
seems less than impressive. What UCLA needs is an opportunity for
those who care about the community ““ students, faculty and
administration ““ to come together and serve the community as
one united group.

Community Service Day will provide the perfect opportunity for
everyone to join forces in a huge day of service. Organizations
like Bruin Corps, Golden Key and Circle K will be joining the
Community Service Commission to show everyone that a large portion
of UCLA students do indeed care about civic engagement.

We invite other student organizations on campus to show
solidarity and participate in the second-annual Community Service
Day on Saturday, Oct. 23. But it is important to state that this
day is not just for students ““ it is important for faculty
and administration to show their support for community work as
well. This day is an effort to have all of UCLA, students and staff
alike, work together for a day of service.

Even if you’re not yet involved in service, you can
benefit from participating in Community Service Day. If
you’re just curious, you can join in to get a feel for what
community service is all about. There won’t be any pressure
or obligation to commit ““ it’s just an opportunity to
engage in service in a more relaxed manner with other students who
are already involved.

Community Service Day opens with registration and breakfast at
9:30 a.m. in De Neve Plaza. After registration, a speaker will
welcome and energize the participants at 10 a.m. Three hours of
service will follow.

Participants can choose from a wide variety of service
opportunities, from working at a senior citizens’
convalescent home to an animal shelter to a beach clean up. Free
lunch will be served at the volunteering site.

Following the day of service, there will be a recruitment fair
in De Neve Plaza for those who would like to get more involved on a
permanent basis.

If you’re interested in joining us for Community Service
Day, I encourage you to visit our Web site to find more details and
register for the event. We look forward to seeing a large group of
community-oriented UCLA students, faculty and staff on Saturday,
Oct. 23!

Lee is the Undergraduate Students Association
Council’s Community Service commissioner. More information on
Community Service Day can be found at www.uclacsc.org.