I was first introduced to this idea when I was working at GW's Office of Community Service. A few years ago a Freshman Day of Service was created and tied into the National Day of Service and Remembrance. It has always been a well attend event by both the incoming freshman class and the upper classmen who serve as student group leaders. While many of the projects would only last a few hours, it was an amazing way for students, faculty and staff to be introduced to what OCS did, as well as to broaden their horizon and hopefully allow them to step outside the Foggy Bottom/GW Bubble. Many of the individuals who came to the event became year long volunteers with the Office and began to serve as advocates for their organizations and educators among peers.
This is by far one of the greatest things about one time service events. Once individuals are exposed to the passion other volunteers have and/or the social issues that plague this country, many cannot get enough. While it may take a while for an individual to find their cause, the one time service opportunities allow them to try a bunch of things along the way.
This Saturday, we partnered with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, an organization formed in 1994 to "foster a clean, safe, accessible, and vibrant Downtown through a wide range of strategies and advocacy for actions that will strengthen the city, enhance its beauty and vitality and make it a better place for business and pleasure."
In true AmeriCorps fashion, we "Got Things Done" (their moto). The Pittsburgh Health Corps stood out in our Carolina Blue shirts, but in a few hours we had the abandoned lot cleared. While park clean ups are not my favorite volunteer opportunity out there, it was a great way to chat with the Corps Members outside our three day long orientation.
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