More than 150 Oswego State students volunteered their time Aug. 29 to interact with the Oswego community through various volunteer efforts during Project Serve.

This year marked Oswego State’s second Project Serve, which was a success according to Caitlin Dorrance '04 of the Center for Community Service and Service Learning. According to Dorrance, there were significantly more volunteers this year than in the past.

The majority of the volunteers were freshmen, and some incoming transfer students, who were given the opportunity to sign up for Project Serve when they visited Oswego State for orientation over the summer.

Volunteer work included painting at Camp Hollis and the Oswego YMCA, gardening at Rice Creek Field Station and Fallbrook, voter registration, preparing and serving lunch at the Salvation Army, cleaning the Oswego Community Christian School and working on a Habitat for Humanity home.

Project Serve is a good way for incoming students to learn about both the Oswego community and each other, according to Dorrance.

"I think it’s important for students to get involved right when they get to college so that they can learn about the community. It’s also a great way for them to explore volunteer options," said Dorrance.

Cliff Ohrnberger ’11 volunteered at the Salvation Army. His job was to work in the pantry, putting food orders together for families in need.

"I learned that there are people in the community that are in need, but also that there are plenty of people in the community willing to help. It felt good to help, and I felt like the usual volunteers really appreciated the extra help we offered. If Project Serve went back to the Salvation Army I would definitely go," Ohrnberger said.

Patrick Decker ’11 helped cook food at the Salvation Army. "I had fun volunteering. I met some new people and got a day off campus. I would definitely do it again," he said.

Students were well received by the community, according to Dorrance. "From everything that I heard from all the placement sites, they thought the students did a great job and encouraged them to come back again," she said.

The community will be thanking students for their efforts at the Oswego Farmer’s Market Sept. 20. There will be a banner, gift bags from the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce and entertainment by Dos Locos. Oswego State will also have two booths at the market that evening, representing Auxiliary Services and the Student Association.

Project Serve was a great day and is an effort that the Center for Community Service and Service Learning plans to continue in the future, according to Dorrance.

— Kristin Quinn '08

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

Habitat House: Christy Harrison Huynh '98 (at right) of the Center for Community Service and Service Learning with students Russ Koch ’10 and Andrea Bunker ’09.

Armory Youth Center: Rachel Gottlieb '11 and Vito Abaldini '11 paint the walls for the youth center at the YMCA.

Salvation Army: A group of Oswego State freshmen serving food in the Salvation Army Kitchen included Tom Boyle '11, Jessica Fretto '11, Alicia Pascoe '11, Catherine Legott '11, Phil Marcus '11, Pat Decker '11, Josh Farell '11, Theresa Bailey '11, Jennifer Schoepfel '11, Brittani Walrath '11 and Ashley Donnelly '11.

Oswego Community Christian School: Students (from left) Darrick Fuller '10, Christina Faraone '11 and Hillary Erchick '11 clean at the Oswego Communtiy Christian School.

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