Ohio Dominican University Joins Nationwide Effort for Make a Difference Day

September 22, 2005

COLUMBUS , OH – Ohio Dominican University will be joining the nationwide effort by participating in Make a Difference Day. Organizations to benefit from this endeavor include Habitat for Humanity, Columbus Children’s Hospital, St. Stephen’s Community House, St. Mary of the Springs’ Mohun Health Care Center , Ohio Dominican University’s Village to Child, and Adventures for Wish Kids.

In a school-wide initiative, ODU students, faculty, staff and alumni are volunteering their time and effort in various activities throughout the week of October 3 - 8, culminating with the main activities on Saturday, October 8.

During the week banners will be made by Ohio Dominican students for Children’s Hospital and a small group of students will be spending Tuesday evening with the retired Sisters, Brothers and diocesan Priests at Mohun Health Care Center. On Thursday, October 6, in support of Campus Ministry’s fall food drive, students will be donating a meal from their meal plans to St. Stephen’s Community House and will instead be having a Peanut Butter and Jelly banquet in Sansbury Hall’s Colonial Room.

Saturday, October 8, morning’s events include volunteer work at Habitat for Humanity’s Built It Again Store, a local park clean-up, as well as a tailgate party leading into the football game. The party will be specifically geared towards the families from Village to Child and Adventures for Wish Kids and will consist of face painting and assorted games. In the afternoon, the event will continue with a home ODU football game against the University of St Francis ( Fort Wayne , Indiana ). The athletic department will be accepting donations of canned food for ODU’s fall food drive for admission into the game. Anyone bringing four cans will receive free admission. All proceeds from this food drive, both food and monetary, will go to St. Stephen’s Community House.

Make a Difference Day is a national and annual event created by USA WEEKEND Magazine with the goal of urging people to spend a day helping someone else. “Neighbors helping neighbors,” is the concept. Each year millions participate in volunteer projects across the nation.