Despite a blistering heatwave, more than 300 Stony Brook students gathered together on Saturday, August 21, 2021, to volunteer their time at the University’s first Community Service Day. The program was designed to offer meaningful and impactful service opportunities as a way of introducing the freshmen to their campus and community while making new friends and connections.

Students plant new greenery near the 9/11 Memorial Arch.

The first project was a two-mile clean-up of Route 25A. A large group of 75 students was divided into two teams. Team Leader Jeff Barnett, Office of Student Life, guided dozens of students down the east end of Route 25A, while Michael Arens, Government and Community Relations Office, kept the team at the west moving. Armed with gloves, bags and pickers, the groups removed trash along the sidewalk.  The groups were joined by Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, who has been organizing and participating in area clean-ups with the university and other groups for many years.

At Patriot’s Rock, a nearby historic community treasure, a group of students led by Nicole Chiuchiolo, Commuter Student Services, removed brush, invasive species and debris from the site.

The team that traveled the farthest from campus belonged to Dean of Students Ric McClendon. He and his team rode the bus down to Patchogue to manage a field day for children with Down Syndrome at Gigi’s Playhouse. The event ended with a water balloon fight, pizza, ice cream, and knowledge that these volunteers gave many families an afternoon of fun and caring as evidenced on the continuous smiles.

Back on campus, hundreds of students were also moving into their assignments. A team lead by Urszula Zalewski, Career Center, was brought to the Student Union, where they completed the assembly of 1,300 school backpacks with school supplies. The backpacks will be distributed Island-wide for K-12 children in need.

A team led by Pam Pfeil, Veterans Affairs Office, headed to the Student Activities Center to write notes of hope. Each student was given five cards to write inspirational or seasonal messages for their designated audience of local Suffolk residents receiving Meals on Wheels delivery.

Read the full story: https://news.stonybrook.edu/university/sbu-launches-freshmen-community-service-day/