More than 1,500 Messiah College students, faculty and staff participate in service projects on April 23
April 22nd, 2009
GRANTHAM, Pa. (April 22, 2009) — Messiah College invites your coverage on April 23 as it holds its tenth annual Service Day, a day of community service throughout the region. Service Day is a campuswide initiative which involves more than 1,500 Messiah College students, faculty and staff performing both on- and off-campus volunteer service projects at more than 70 locations throughout central Pennsylvania. Service Day 2009 will be held in conjunction with the 40th Annual Area M Special Olympics Games. In addition to celebrating 40 years of Special Olympics Games in central Pennsylvania, volunteers and participants will celebrate Messiah College’s 20th year of hosting the event on its campus.
Coverage of Messiah College students, faculty and staff participating in volunteer service-related activities can be obtained at the following locations:
• Special Olympics at Messiah College – More than 1,000 Special Olympic athletes and nearly 1,200 volunteers from Messiah College, event sponsor EDS, and other local businesses are expected to participate in the area games on the college’s Grantham campus. Opening ceremonies begin at 9:40 a.m. on the track at Starry Athletic Fields; the games begin at 10:15 a.m. and run until 1 p.m. (All track and field events will be held at Starry Fields; aquatic events will be held in the Fredrickson Natatorium in the Sollenberger Sports Center.) Closing ceremonies will be held at the track at 1 p.m.
• Project SHARE, 5 North Street, Suite 4, Carlisle – Volunteers from Messiah College will work at Project SHARE, an interfaith, non-profit cooperative created to meet the needs of the hungry by providing supplemental food on a monthly basis. Project SHARE reaches more than 1,100 local families a month and is funded entirely by donations from local congregations and civic groups. Onsite contact: Christy Hanson, (717) 756-9760 (cell)
• Allison Hill Community Ministry, 1508 Derry Street, Harrisburg – Nearly 20 volunteers will work on a variety of projects, including clearing a plot of land for a garden and interior painting, between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Onsite contact: Elizabeth Miller, (717) 448-5028 (cell)
In case of rain, Service Day and Special Olympics will be rescheduled for April 28 at the times and locations listed above. To verify cancellation on the morning of Service Day, call (717) 691-6084.