Editors: Many of the listed activities are good photo oppportunities, particularly the one-day activities. Contact Amy Taylor for additional details at 303-492-6432.
October has been designated "CU in the Community" month at the University of Colorado at Boulder to further involve faculty, staff and students in serving a favorite cause or charity and to share CU's considerable "people power" with local organizations.
The month's activities will highlight countless ways faculty, staff and students can participate in community service projects. Volunteering time to local non-profits, participating in food and coat drives, and contributing to Colorado charities through the Colorado Combined Campaign are among the events planned for "CU in the Community."
Staff members who volunteer on projects will receive one hour of paid administrative leave, authorized by Chancellor Richard L. Byyny, according to Wynn Martens, director of community relations.
"Staff members are encouraged to volunteer, but will need to coordinate with their supervisors to find a time when taking this hour to work on 'CU in the Community' projects will not interfere with their regular responsibilities," Martens said.
Special one-day activities planned for the month include:
o Painting and general "fix-up" work at Casey Middle School, 2410 13th St.,
Oct. 10 at 9 a.m.
o A Food Drive at the Texas Tech football game Oct. 17 to benefit Community Food Share in honor of World Food Day and National Food Bank Week.
o National "Make A Difference" day Oct. 24 offering faculty, staff and students an opportunity to participate in several activities, including:
** Painting and yardwork at Attention Homes, Boulder's three shelters for abused, neglected, homeless and delinquent teen-agers. Work at the three homes begins at 9 a.m. and extends throughout the day: Bridge Home, 3682 Chase Court, a long-term home for boys, will receive painting and yardwork. Pine Street, 1527 Pine St., a long-term shelter for girls, will be spruced up with special yardwork. Broadway Youth Shelter, a crisis center for boys and girls located at 3080 Broadway, will be painted.
** Underprivileged families will be hosted on campus for a day of programs and learning.
** Fifty members of CU's Navy ROTC will help build a Habitat for Humanity house at 2284 Violet Ave. in north Boulder all day Oct. 24. One crew will work from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and one from 1 p.m. to to 5 p.m. Transportation to and from the site for the morning crew will be provided by a CU-Boulder Buff Bus.
On-going activities during "CU in the Community" month will include:
o Project Warmth, a month-long coat drive in conjunction with the CU Bookstore and GEAR for Sports. Coats will be donated to Boulder聮s Share-A-Coat organization for cleaning and distribution during the holidays. Contributors will receive a coupon for 25 percent off GEAR jackets. Coats should be dropped at any dean's office in the schools and colleges, the CU Bookstore or call 303-492-6432.
o Employees will be able to make contributions to the Colorado Combined Campaign, a state-wide charitable giving program.
o Faculty, staff and students will be informed through designated staff members about organizations and ways to volunteer throughout Boulder County during October.
o A used computer equipment drive will expand on President Buechner聮s "Computers Across Colorado" loan program.
According to Martens, the campus will need "community partners" from every CU-Boulder department, office and school or college to help coordinate faculty and staff members who want to work on community programs. Community partners will pass out materials and answer questions from their co-workers. Training will be provided.
CU-Boulder faculty and staff who want to be community partners, or sign up to work on one of CU's projects, should e-mail Martens or Amy Taylor at: amy.taylor@colorado.edu, or call 303-492-6432.