Spring Monthly Service Project dates

The Spring 2008 semester is just around the corner, so mark your calendar for these upcoming Monthly Service Projects.

Saturday, February 16th- 8:00 am to 1:30 pm
Northern Illinois Food Bank
Participants will assist in sorting and packaging food that will later be delivered to local hot meal sites to feed hungry people in Northern Illinois. Part of Union Board's Winter Fest celebration (February 11th- 16th).

Saturday, March 8th- 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Greencastle of Elmhurst Retirement Community
Participants will spend time with residents of this adult living facility, providing opportunities for engagement, such as playing board games, baking and decorating cookies, or starting seeds for spring garden planting.

Saturday, April 12th- Times to be announced
Chicago Interfaith Committee on Worker Issues
Participants will become more educated about a new law that impacts individual workers' rights and help to share information about the law in the local community.

Saturday, May 10th- Times to be announced
Humanitarian Service Project
Participants will help prepare for the annual Feed the Kids campaign, which provides food to area families with children during the summer months.

Transportation will be provided for all Monthly Service Projects. A light breakfast and snacks OR lunch will also be provided. Contact Laura Wilmarth, Director of Leadership and Civic Engagement, at wilmarthtynal@elmhurst.edu or (630) 617-3687 to sign up!

Cookie Project!

Each year around Christmas EC likes to do something "extra" to assist The Night Ministry, an organization serving Chicago's runaway youth, individuals who are homeless, the uninsured and underinsured. To assist these folks in need, the EC Honors Program is sponsoring a cookie project and they need your help!

A group will be gathering to sort and bag Oreo cookies in the Founders Lounge (Frick Center) from 11:00am to 2:00pm on Thursday, December 6th. There are almost 4,000 cookies that need to be divided and bagged, so please come out! Stop by anytime - even a few minutes helps out!

For additional information, contact Nikol Bakka, ECHO Service Committee Chair at BakkaN@Elmhurst.edu.

Thanksgiving Basket Distribution

On Saturday, November 17th, a group of Elmhurst College Students and St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church confirmation candidates traveled to Woodridge to assist in the Woodridge Community Pantry Thanksgiving Basket Distribution. Participants helped clients to pick up their holiday food basket, collected and loaded any unclaimed food into a truck bound for the pantry, and then assisted in unloading and soring at the pantry. The group did a great job and had the opportunity to learn about hunger in the Chicagoland area -- especially in the suburbs.

During the experience, the group contributed over 42 hours of community service. According to national estimates of the cost of volunteer hours, this is equal to approximately $800 worth of work! Thanks to everyone who participated for their great work and positive attitudes.

Click the link to see photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/laura.wilmarth/November2007MSP

November Monthly Service Project

Come out on Saturday, November 17th to assist with Thanksgiving food basket distribution! We'll be working at the Woodridge Community Center in Woodridge, IL to share food with neighbors as we approach the holiday. Here's the scoop:

What: Thanksgiving food basket distribution

Where: Woodridge Community Pantry

When: Saturday, November 17th -- from 9 am to around 1 pm

How: Register yourself or your group in the Student Affairs Office, 240 Frick Center by Wednesday, November 14th -- SPACE IS LIMITED!

Transportation and continental breakfast will be provided.

Contact Laura Wilmarth Tyna at wilmarthtynal@elmhurst.edu or (630) 617-3687 with questions, concerns, or to register.

Sponsored by the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement and Campus Security

Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra

Picture courtesy of Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra website at: http://www.elmhurstsymphony.org/orchestra.asp

As the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra continues to grow into a highly regarded regional orchestra, they are looking to expand their volunteer base. One immediate need is for some ushers at upcoming concerts this year. In return for their work as ushers, volunteers would gain free admission to some very high quality performances. Upcoming dates are Sunday 11/18 at 3 p.m., Saturday 1/12 at 7 p.m., Sunday 2/17 at 3 p.m., and Saturday 5/17 at 7 p.m.

If you are interested in assisting, contact Jim Kulich by email at jimk@elmhurst.edu. Thanks!

Oak Brook Park District Event

The Oak Brook Park District is hosting a "Spook-tacular Halloween Party" and they need your help!

The event consists of carnival and blowup games for children 4- 10 years old. Staff volunteers (that's you!) will be in charge of running one of the simple carnival games, supervising the blowup games, or assisting with the prize table.

When: Wednesday, October 31st from 5:30-8pm

Where: The gym @ the Family Recreation Center, 1450 Forest Gate Rd. in Oak Brook

Who They Need: 15-20 volunteer staff members for the event

Anyone interested can contact Greg Stephens at gstephens@obparks.org (630) 645-9561

EC Make a Difference Day

What a great day! About 15 EC students and staff, along with a number of community members headed out on Saturday, October 20th for the first ever EC Make a Difference Day! Groups assisted at two local sites for about 3 1/2 hours and contributed a total of over 50 hours of service!

Sites included the Sheldon Peck Homestead in Lombard (pictured above), where the group prepared the garden for winter and cleaned an area of the homestead land, including the woodpile. While they were there, the group also toured the homestead and learned about the important role that Peck played in the abolitionist movement in the mid to late 1800s.

Another group traveled to the Elmhurst Great Western Prairie about a mile from campus. The group collected seeds from various prairie plants and learned about the history of prairie land in Illinois. Working with a group of committed prairie volunteers, the group also had the opportunity to learn more about Elmhurst and the plot of land upon which the prairie is growing.

Thanks to all of our EC Make a Difference Day participants for all of your hard work! For additional pictures from the Sheldon Peck Homestead site, follow the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/laura.wilmarth/ECMADD2007OctMSP